The Legend of Demitar Raya
by Xenophemera
Summary: The Demitar, bender of two elements, is a fundamental part of the Avatar's power. In this reimagining of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Raya is the next Demitar. Born into the Fire Nation only a few years before the demise of Avatar Roku, she is thrust into a world on the precipice of war. Frozen in time for one hundred years, she must find the new Avatar, and defeat her own nation.
1. Chapter I

[A/N: Thank you for giving this reimagining a try. I truly love this character and her story; I hope you will too. Please feel free to leave me a review if you have questions about her character, their abilities, or if you just plain liked what you read. Cheers.]

' _Since the beginning of the Avatar cycle, there has been a Demitar; a being born with the ability to wield two elements. Sharing pieces of the same soul, they are balance. Without one, the other may never unlock their true potential. It is their charge to maintain balance among both the spirit and human world. So it has always been, and so it shall always be.' – Avatar Tome; Vol. 1 via the library of Wan Shi Tong_

 _"Excellent form, Demitar." Monk Taozo signaled his approval to the young demitar. She bowed deeply, her unnaturally white hair swinging down over her shoulders. She looked so graceful in her air nomad attire that, should someone have been informed that she was actually born to the fire nation, it would have been hard to believe._

 _"Thank you, Master," Raya said with a gentle smile lighting up her face. "Master, forgive me, but I was hoping I could speak to you about something." Raya bounded up out of the training ring, using small bursts of air to propel herself._

 _"I am always available for you, Raya. What seems to be troubling your mind?" Monk Taozo was one of the most patient people she had ever encountered in her life. Her years of childhood, and then fire bending training, had been ruthless. She was by no means tortured, but the fire nation had a standard – a way – of ferocity that she felt she could never truly embrace._

 _Her year and some odd months with the nomads had been some of the truest, fullest months of her life. She embraced every part of their teachings in order to learn the element, but soon found that it was the way she wanted to live her life. Upon earning her sacred tattoos, she felt a greater sense of achievement than she had ever felt, even at mastering firebending._

 _However, nothing lasts forever, and once it was confirmed that she had mastered air, the fire nation would want their citizen back. She wished some part of her wanted to do so. To go back to the fire nation would mean returning as a fully realized Demitar. She would have to spend years waiting in the fire nation palace, a place she dearly wished to avoid, until the next Avatar turned 16. As far as she knew he was currently only twelve, and an air nomad in the southern temples. Someone she wished to meet sooner rather than later._

 _As the Demitar, master of only two elements, she was informed of her identity at the age of 14. Firebending came naturally to her, and she had already been learning it for years when she discovered her role as the Demitar. She mastered her firebending at fourteen, and went on to train with the air nomads ever since._

 _"Well, I – Please forgive me, Master – I heard what you and the counsel were saying a few days ago. . . I didn't mean to eves drop! I was just flying RaiJin, and, well, I'm sorry." She looked up to her Master to see whether or not she should even bother to continue, or just drop to the ground at his feet and begin begging his forgiveness. He looked patient, as though he were content to hear the rest, and so she continued._

 _"I know that the Avatar's identity has been revealed to him early. . . I don't know why, and you don't have to tell me. I was just wondering. . . I've earned my tattoos, and I'm ready to begin serving the new avatar. Master, please, may I go to the southern air temples?" Raya stopped walking then and bowed deeply to monk Taozo. The silence that followed stretched on until Raya felt her back begin to ache for the depth of her bow._

 _"I believe the young Avatar could use a steadfast companion now, more than ever," Taozo finally said with a light smile._

A sharp metallic clang sounded through Raya's chamber and she was pulled from her meditation. She glanced up at the door through thick iron bars. The door opened and shut with a grating sound, and soon she was graced with the presence of the fire prince. He wore his usual formal robes and a cloak, which was pulled far over his head to hide his face.

"Fire Prince Zuko, what an honor," Raya said blankly. The prince gave no retort but instead seated himself before her. These visits had occurred a lot since he had returned. He said nothing and the silence stretched endlessly on. He stared hard at the Demitar, and looked as though an eternal struggle lingered behind his eyes. At this point it seemed he would say nothing, and she went back into her meditative trance.

"Are you contacting the Avatar?" he asked suddenly. She opened her amber eyes once more and watched him carefully.

"No," she said simply, and closed her eyes again.

"Don't ignore me! I know the Demitar and Avatar have the ability to contact each other at anytime from anywhere in the world."

"And how might I go about doing such a thing with someone I have never even met. Someone you've supposedly killed," She said, there was a silent rage blossoming behind her stare, and as she spat the last part, a tinge of hurt she hadn't intended to reveal came with it. Zuko put his eyes to the ground then, and looked almost pained himself.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling himself off the ground and turning away from her. He walked to the door silently and it opened once more, sliding shut following his exit. Raya felt the shock on her face as she looked at the solid metal exit. _I'm sorry._ The Fire Prince was the first person to ever apologize to her. It was as if something inside of her shifted with his words.

She shifted her legs and straightened her back, and once more began meditating. There was nothing else for her to do in her prison cell, and so she did it as often as she could. Mostly in order to maintain her inner peace, but also because she _had_ been trying to contact Aang. However, she hadn't been untruthful with the Fire Prince; she couldn't contact him, because they had not yet met or made physical contact.

 _Raya sat up in her bed, rubbing the restlessness from her eyes. She stood and walked over to the large window that overlooked a vast expanse of the mountain range. She could see the Western side of the temple, and the Western garden. All was still in the night, and nothing disturbed the surface of the temple grounds but brilliant moonlight._

 _Her mind was racing with the possibilities ahead of her. She was more excited to head to the Southern Temples than she thought possible. Monk Tazao had written to Monk Giatso, the Avatars guardian, in order to make the arrangements. As soon as they heard back, Raya could set off. She had also considered the possibility that Monk Giatso would refuse her proposal, and ask her to wait until Aang was of age._

 _If she had to wait, she knew she would be headed back to the fire nation within months; she couldn't bring herself to use the word home. The word '_ home' _brought up a thousand resilient memories of the air temple compared to when she tried to think of the fire nation that way. The fire nation only brought memories of a strict and rigid upbringing._

 _She realized in time that her body was just as restless as her mind, and she stepped up and away from the window. Making her way to the door, she peaked out, a small fire ball in her outstretched hand. After a thorough investigation of the hallway, she was satisfied that it was empty and made her way out of the temples. She thought about how beautiful the temples always looked no matter the light in which they were viewed._

 _She recalled a brief memory of a time she had left her room for a drink as a novice bender. She held a weak fireball in her small hand and tried to find her way to a source of water. She had awoke from a nightmare covered in fire, and it left her mouth hot and dry. The way the fire danced off the walls of the palace was eerie, and intimidating._

 _That was not the case in the temples. The sandy white stone that encased the air nomads was so tranquil. She breathed a sigh of peace at her thoughts before she stepped out into the open air. The moonlight was bright enough for her to extinguish her flame, and she continued her walk sans firebending._

 _The wind tousled her white locks into her face, and she tucked it all gently behind her ears, taking in the mountains bathed in moonlight. It was then that she considered the fact that she might like some company to quell her unquiet mind._

 _Rai Jin was laying amongst the sky bison within the temple stables and she cracked a smile at the odd position the dragon had found himself in. Two baby bison had nestled against him and his head lay across them as though they were two living, flying pillows. She walked carefully through the array of flying creatures and finally rested a gentle hand on Rai Jins muzzle._

 _His jade eyes flicked open instantly and two tendrils of calm smoke drifted from his nostrils. He blinked at her once in acknowledgement before closing his eyes again. She patted his rough snout gently and leaned against him as she slid down to sit. He readjusted his head to rest against her lap. She sighed at the thought of him becoming fully grown. His head was almost heavier than she could bare to have resting on her lap now, but someday – maybe soon – his head would crush her legs if he tried the same thing._

"Food," someone said unceremoniously, tossing a dingy tray of gray foods at her. She picked up the bowl of gruel and began to place small portions in her mouth. The guard stood over her for a moment longer before shaking his head and walking away. She sat the bowl aside then and folded her hands in her lap.

She knew she shouldn't be turning away from the food she was given – her frame was becoming noticeably thin and she could feel her ribs beginning to reveal themselves one by one beneath her underwraps as time passed. There was just something about being a prisoner of the people you were born to protect that staved off a healthy appetite.

Suddenly there was a metallic clank and Raya looked toward the door expectantly. She knew that sound too well. Someone was entering and as they came forward into the dim light that was cast around her cell, she saw the face of someone she recognized well by now.

"Fire Prince Zuko," she greeted him with a flat tone and just barely inclined her head. He sat before her as usual and pulled his hood back, revealing his scared flesh. Raya, for the first time, did not go back to meditating, but instead maintained eye contact with the Prince as he glared. Surprisingly his gaze softened, and she did her best not to flinch at this sudden change.

"Tell me about the air nomads," he asked, his voice gentle and humble.

"They were an amazing people. The most gentle and fundamentally kind human beings I have ever encountered in my life. They showed me that life was greater than the physical and social trials we face here. And they loved to laugh. I will miss them for the rest of my life," Raya said, breaking her gaze with the Fire Prince to stare at her hands. She could feel the blur of tears beginning in her vision.

This was the first time she had actually talked about her loss and the first time she had forced herself to truly remember the people she had come to love so dearly in such detail.

"My father said they were weak, and that they asked for their own destruction by being that way, but," Zuko paused and waited for Raya to look back at him. He seemed pained suddenly, and lost for his words.

"Strength is not something we display in heated battles, Zuko," Raya said, stripping the formality from her words and looking at the prince with the wisdom of the Demitar. "It's the courage we hold in our hearts. The peace we bring to ourselves and others when it seems like violence is the only option. It's the integrity we present to the world, and our steadfastness of self. That is the true meaning of strength. The nomads were the strongest people I've ever known, and that strength lives on through me, and through the Avatar."

Zuko nodded slowly and she watched as he raised his hands to his face, covering it. He sat like that for a while before he sighed and reached through the bar tentatively as if to touch her hand. Raya didn't move, but prepared herself for anything. But the prince withdrew his hand just as quickly as he had extended it, and stood. He turned from her and left silently.

 _Brilliant blue light swirled around Raya and RaiJin. The Demitar's limbs snapped into a meditative position – her fist pressed against an open palm – and she lost control of her actions. She felt her mind fading behind a thousand others and her body moved of its own accord. The world before her faded, and she felt Rai Jin wrap tightly around her._

 _The baby sky bison scattered and the larger ones backed away, roaring their protests at the sudden event._

 _And the world became dark. She couldn't feel the extent of her limbs anymore, and her mind felt like it was floating; freely detached from her physical body. A panic began to rise inside of her. Before it could, however, another mind reached out to hers. Its voice was like the culmination of a thousand other voices speaking in unison._

 _'Be calm now, Demitar. You will be safe.' She trusted the voice, and as soon as she relaxed there was nothing. She was nothing and the world around her fell away so fully that for a moment she thought perhaps she had died, and that her spirit was moving on to the next life. There was simply nothing._

"Get up," she heard suddenly, being pulled harshly from her memories. She looked around for the source of the interruption and found that iron bars no longer impeded her view of the door.

"Wh -" she began, but was cut short as she was pulled to her feet, not unkindly by someone fully cloaked. Once she was on her feet she felt fully how much of a toll her imprisonment had taken on her body. She felt tired and weak, her legs had grown unused to carrying her own weight – however little weight that was now – and threatened to give out.

She wobbled and the cloaked individual sent out a steadying hand. The small jostle sent his hood back and she saw the face of Prince Zuko looking seriously into her amber eyes. She gaped a little and he simply looked away and began helping her forward.

"I know you're weak, but we need to hurry." He pressed her to move a little faster and she obliged.

"What are you doing? What's happening?"

"I'm setting you free."


	2. Chapter II

Raya almost stopped in shock, but Zuko's pressing hand kept her moving forward. Before she knew it they were out in the open air, and an eclipse was high above their heads. She squinted around and took the dim half-light in. She never thought she would be in a position to miss the feel of fresh air whirling around her, or the kiss of sun on her pale flesh – as much as the sun could kiss anything from behind the moon.

Zuko kept them moving, and for good reason. As the Fire Prince and the Demitar made their way through the palace grounds they were enveloped in an eerie silence. The place was practically deserted. She wanted to ask why, but the question was swallowed as the realization dawned on her that it was because of the eclipse. There was no doubt in her mind that the most important people would be hiding; tucked away somewhere hard to reach.

The fact that they were not being chased down during her escape made the Demitar relax ever so slightly. However, that feeling was cut short as a dozen soldiers marched toward them. Zuko cursed under his breath and released his supportive hold on Raya as he drew dual swords from his back.

"Don't be scared," he reassured her as they halted only yards away, "they won't be able to bend."

"Stop!" A tall man in uniform headed the group and commanded a harsh presence. Raya could see a jagged scar over his right eye that interrupted the flow of his eyebrow. Gray hair suggested that this man had seen many a day in combat and he was no one to be trifled with. With set shoulders he held a tri-point spear in his grasp. The men that stood in formation off to either side of the leader seemed slightly intimidated as their eyes fell on the white haired Demitar. She was too weak to be an honest threat at this point, but they didn't have to know that.

The Demitar squared her shoulders in an attempt to bluff. Some of the soldiers readied their spears and she caught a flicker of uncertainty passing across their faces.

"Relax! She can't bend you idiots. Now let's go, nice and easy like. Back to your cell!" He commanded, taking a threatening step towards the pair.

"Maybe I can't firebend," Raya said suddenly, sliding forward and, drawing her arms to her right, "But I can still do this!" She brought them around herself and to the left sending a large wave of air into the chests of the men. They all tumbled backwards as if they'd been struck by invisible hands. No one moved and Zuko took this as a good sign to evacuate as fast as possible.

He took her arm and began pushing them forward again until he heard something whirring through the air. He raised a sword just in time to knock away two arrows. He looked around and suddenly there was an entire volley of arrows raining down on their heads. Raya backed into the Fire Prince and took a bending stance. Her knees slightly bent, she made to fists and pressed them together with force. A spherical blast erupted from her center and Zuko braced himself; hair whipping wildly around his face.

The arrows met the blast and were quickly whipped away in several different directions. Zuko smirked, admiring the quick thinking and strength of the Demitar, when he noticed that she was tottering where she stood. He began supporting her weight again and led them on as quickly as possible. He considered carrying her for a moment, but knew he needed to preserve his strength.

They walked through one final archway and were suddenly standing on the walkway that led through the palace court yard. Raya looked around and admired the beauty that existed there. Several turtle-ducks were quacking angrily in an articulately placed pond. When she realized why they were protesting, her heart burst with happiness and relief all at the same time. Tears rolled uninhibited down her face as only seeing a resurrected friend could induce.

"Rai Jin!" Her body was already overwhelmed, but the burst of sudden emotion propelled her forward. She wrapped grateful arms around the muzzle of her friend. Plumes of smoke emitted from his nostrils and endless hums of contentment roiled out of his chest. "I thought Azula – I thought she-"

"You need to go." Zuko was behind her now, moving her to the dragon's saddle. She felt the satchel he'd been shouldering slip around her torso as he placed it securely on her. Before she had time to protest or question him any further, strong hands had taken hold of her waist and hoisted her up into the saddle. She settled herself into the familiar leather seat and then turned to her savior.

"Listen to me," he said, waiting until she was giving him her full attention. "The Avatar is here, somewhere. He travels with his friends – two members of the Southern Water Tribe, and a young earthbender. Head toward the gates of Azulon. You have to find them, whatever it takes."

"Zuko, come on," she said, confusion coloring her tired face. He was already half way across the court yard when she called out. He didn't turn but paused and turned his head slightly so that she could make out the unharmed side of his face.

"There's something I have to do first." He was off again, moving even more quickly now that he was uninhibited by the weight of the Demitar.

"Thank-" She began, trying to convey how grateful she was to him for his sacrifice.

"Go!" He shouted simply as he disappeared to the other side of the door they had come through.

Before Raya could even react, RaiJin was rapidly ascending; leaving the courtyard and palace grounds far behind them. She held on tightly, summoning her remaining strength to focus on staying on the massive pearlescent dragon. She swore he had grown some in her absence, but wasn't left with much time to worry about it as she saw the ground become dotted with people. She scanned the area quickly, but nothing stood out to her.

The eclipse was more than halfway over now, and she could feel a warmth beginning to return to her core that she hadn't initially realized was absent. Below her small flashes of light – firebending – began to erupt. The masses of people she could see were gradually being pushed back toward the beaches. She felt desperately that she should be descending to help them, but knew it was the least viable option she had at the moment. Survive, heal, grow strong again – these were the things she needed to focus on most now.

As she turned her head to focus on the ocean coming into view, she noticed something she had thought no longer existed. It was far off, and still planted firmly on the ground, but there it was; a sky bison. RaiJin gave a small roar of protest, as she hadn't realized she'd been gradually pulling his reigns to make him slow down. She regained herself quickly and released the dragons head, allowing him to regain his speed.

"I'll find you again. . ." she whispered into the winds as they whipped around her face. RaiJin carried them out into ocean water and didn't slow until they spotted land again.

 _The light around her began to fade slowly, and Raya felt as though she were being born again. Her consciousness reached out and felt to the tips of each limb. She felt herself regaining control of her body, and the energy coursing through her slowed gradually to its regular pulse. Against her back she felt RaiJin begin to move his bulky dragon form._

 _Gasps erupted around the Demitar as the light dissipated and she could see clearly again for the first time in over a hundred years. She blinked and moved her arms down to her sides. Her body was horribly stiff, and she felt exhausted. Rai Jin let out at small grumble and she wondered if he were feeling the same._

 _Suddenly there were five fire sages bowing at her feet, and she looked around quickly to gain a sense of where she might be._

 _"Demitar Raya," the head sage began, "it is an honor to witness your awakening."_

 _"Awakening?" She asked, still in a muddle of confusion._

 _"Yes. You've been locked in the Avatar's state for over one hundred years. You were found this way, encased in a sphere of energy. You were carefully relocated to the Fire Nation; to Roku's sanctuary. We have been patiently awaiting your return for over a generation, Demitar."_

 _"A hundred . . . years?" She asked, her mouth falling slightly agape._

 _"I'm afraid so."_

 _"I can't . . . believe-" a sudden surge of realization seemed to wash over her, and it caused an unintentional sense of panic to rise inside her. She felt tears pouring down her face as she tried to grasp the situation. Still sitting on the ground she put her hands to her face and cried into them, bending over her knees._

 _"It's alright, Raya. Please, it's going to be alright." One of the sages had moved to comfort the girl. A few of the other sages looked on in uncertainty, as it didn't seem right for them to assume such personal confidence toward their Demitar. In that moment, however, she was simply an incredibly hurt and upset fifteen year old girl. She looked up suddenly, flinching at the touch of the sages reassuring hand._

 _He looked to be in his late sixties, and his smile was kind. His white hair was tied back traditionally and hidden beneath his ceremonial fire sage cap. His eyes were decorated with years of age lines, his body slightly bent from years of walking the earth._

 _"How did- Why?" she whispered, her voice rasping slightly from crying._

 _"No one knows, I'm afraid. No one has seen the Avatar in over one hundred years, either. Your awakening must mean that he has returned, though." There were a few indistinguishable whispers shared amongst the other sages at the mention of the Avatar._

 _"He was . . . gone?" Her head was spinning with questions that she didn't even know how to ask. There were so many things she was missing, and she didn't understand how to begin to discover what those things were._

Bright sunlight filtered down into the trees, and Raya realized then that they had landed. She wasn't sure how long she had been out, or where they had landed specifically, but she was still seated firmly in the saddle. A small panic began to blossom within her as she looked toward the blue skies. They were devoid of even a single cloud.

"Did we miss them? How long was I out?" she asked the white dragon beneath her. He simply rumbled in a low tone as a response to her. She ran her hands through her hair and tucked some of it behind her ears. It was greasy and in desperate need of washing and combing.

She pulled the satchel Zuko had sent with her around herself and began rifling through it. Her clothes were there, along with some rations, a map, and something she didn't quite recognize at first. As she pulled the trinket out into the light to inspect it further, she knew exactly what it was. The ornament was metal, a flat wide cylinder with two fire symbols on either side. A pin was slid through it that would keep it solidly in the hair of the wearer.

The ornament of the crowned prince was beautiful, and its craftsmanship was to be praised highly. She took it gingerly in her fingers and inspected it further. Her heart ached a little as she thought of Zuko, disappearing into the confines of the palace once more. She hoped more than anything that he made it out safely. She considered changing until a familiar sound came from the sky above. It had been over one hundred years since she'd heard it, but she knew a sky bison growl anywhere.

RaiJin perked up as it flew overhead and her heart jumped with elation and anticipation. Without having to say a word, the dragon was lifting off the ground. As they ascended above the trees the sky bison was already far enough away that she couldn't make out the people that sat on his back. As they began to follow the bison, Raya felt a heaving sigh escape from her lips. She hadn't been out long enough to miss the Avatar.

They flew at a distance for almost two hours before she watched the sky bison sink. She looked in shock as it sank below the earth, and she commanded Rai Jin to land as they approached the place where the bison had disappeared. They landed in a cluster of trees that stopped abruptly. Outside the wood line there was roughly 100 feet of grassy ledge before the ground gave way to a lengthy crevasse.

She pulled out the map Zuko had given her. Map reading was never her strongest attribute, but she guessed they were somewhere near the Western Air Temple. She looked around and saw nothing but forest. She had seen no sign of a temple from the air either. She folded the map and replaced it, no less perplexed than when she had pulled it out. She wracked her brain, trying to remember everything she had learned about the other temples aside from the one at which she had mastered airbending.

Rai Jin rumbled and she heard him lay himself out on the ground. She looked back to find that he was already sleeping. She smiled gently and patted his massive forelock. He was utterly exhausted after carrying them so far, so fast. Scratching gently between his stark white horns, she tried to decide what to do next.

"Well, they don't seem to be going anywhere since they're in that crevasse. We could fly down?" she thought aloud as she began rifling through the bag again. She pulled out one of the rations and unfolded the off white cloth to reveal some bread and a piece of jerked meat. She tossed the meat over to RaiJin who snapped it up from mid-air.

"You'll need more than that soon," she continued to think out loud as she ripped off a large chunk of bread and bunched it into her mouth. Once she had chewed and swallowed that piece, she took the larger piece of bread in her mouth and held it there as she continued to pull things out of the bag; one hand held it open while the other extracted the items within.

She finished the bread in a few more bites, and then set herself to finding water. The clothes he had placed in the bag were ones she had awoken from the avatar state in, and the other set were something she had never seen before. They were crimson and brown, like any fire nation clothing would be, but they had loose flaps of fabric that reminded her of air nomad clothing around the upper thigh area and the chest. A fire nation symbol was embroidered into one leg of the giving black fabric that went from her waist to her knee; on the other the symbol of the air nomads. The sleeves of the garment went down to her elbow and were a fitted fabric like that of her pants. The chest and torso were also fitted, but over top hung the loose fabric, just as it draped around her upper thighs, tapering off to a point down toward her knee.

She wondered how Zuko had managed to have something like this made under the watchful eye of his father and sister. Then again, Sozin had managed to start a hundred year war right under the nose of the previous avatar; their ability to keep secrets was limitless, it seemed.

She washed in water she heated using firebending, and combed her hair out with her fingers as she washed away months of prison dirt – wishing silently that the Fire Prince had also shoved a comb into her get away satchel. At the thought of the prince she paused and wondered where he was at that moment. He said he had something to do first, but what about after that? Did he make it out? Or had he taken her place in that wretched cell? Or worse?

Raya stepped out of the water, unable to continue that though and with a single breath she braced herself as air flew out and away from her body, taking with it all the water that had clung to her from the stream.

It didn't take long for her to assemble herself. She grabbed her old clothes, and ran them through her fingers, certain that those were what she wanted to wear. However, the more she looked over the ones Zuko had had made for her, the more they grew on her. After a few more minutes of contemplation she picked up the newly tailored clothing and stuffed her original ones back into the satchel.

Once she had the clothes from Zuko on, she wondered why she had debated wearing them for so long. They fit like a glove, despite her fat and muscle loss, and she could move incredibly well in them. She did a few bending moves, taking stances and sending out short bursts of fire and air. As she did so, her body reminded her just how tired she really was.

Finally she picked up the crown prince hair piece. She pulled the upper portion of her hair into a small bun and tamed the rest down with her fingers. Her freshly washed white hair had a bit of body back, and took on a natural wave. It was still relatively straight, which she was thankful for now as it was a bit easier to manage without utensils. Two thick strands of hair hung from her temples down to her collar bone, framing her oval face. With that done, she placed the crowned prince ornament over her bun and slide the pin into place, assuring that it would remain firmly in place even through vigorous movements.

"Well?" The demitar turned to her companion and waited for his opinion. The dragon opened one eye half way and blinked slowly at her. He let out a heaving sigh and closed his eye again.

"Pretty sharp," she agreed with her silent consensus, satisfied that she once again looked somewhat like the Demitar should. "A few weeks of training and good food should fill this out," she said, gesturing to her arms and legs. She gathered up the satchel and slug it across herself. "Alright, let's go check out the cliffs," Raya said, adjusting the saddle straps and yanking to test its steadfastness.

The dragon let out a groan of protest and twisted his large white head around to face her. He didn't bother lifting it off the ground, and two little sparks erupted from his nostrils.

"Hey!" Raya snapped at him, jumping back a bit. "I'm tired too, you know. But we have to get down there. We can sleep soon, I promise. A really good, long sleep."

The dragon seemed to almost roll his eyes as he blinked and lifted his head off the ground, followed by his entire body.

"Thank you, friend," she said, bowing slightly to him. He rumbled deeply in his chest, and she could tell that he really was exhausted. They were so close, though, and Raya needed to meet her Avatar. "I think one hundred years is long enough, eh bud?"

She struggled to pull herself up into his saddle, and RaiJin lowered himself to give her less of a climb. She finally managed to seat herself square on the dragons back, and he hoisted himself to his full height once again before taking off into the air. He didn't go nearly as high or fast as he flew them over the precipice of the cliff.

At first Raya saw nothing but empty space extending down further than her eye could reach. She twisted around in her saddle looking for any sign of life when she saw it, and wondered why she hadn't remember earlier what the Western Air Temples looked like. She turned RaiJin around to face the large buildings that hung upside down and embedded into the cliff side. Only people who knew where to look would have been able to find it.

The pair descended down into the crevasse and Raya scanned the cliff side for signs of life. Suddenly, resting on a stone outcrop she spotted the sky bison. She didn't doubt the people with it were nearby.

"That way," she directed the dragon. He flew slowly toward their destination, taking great care to make a gentle landing. Anxiety was beginning to build in the Demitars chest as she felt the dragon make contact with the stone beneath them. The sky bison they landed near roared in protest, fearful of the predator that had just landed in his domain.

She heard a few shouts in response to his alarm and dismounted the dragon quickly. She wasn't sure what she would be met with, or who, but she wouldn't let them hurt Rai Jin regardless. She walked a few paces away from Rai Jin and noticed a flying lemur swoop past her and land on the saddle of the bison that was still shirking away from Rai Jin in discomfort.

The dragon made no threatening gesture and simply lay down upon the stone. He had reached his limit for the day, and she knew that to take off again would be impossible until he was well rested. The pearlescent dragon groaned deeply and smoke wafted from his nostrils. He seemed in no way concerned with the small battalion that appeared on the other side of the stone out crop.

They had been within the interior of the temple, and emerged now ready to face whatever was causing their bison's reaction.

"I knew I saw I dragon!" The voice came from a water tribe girl with thick dark hair. Her eyes were the tell-tale blue of a water tribe member, along with her russet skin.

"Fire Nation!" A boy yelled. He stood beside the water tribe girl and appeared to be from the water tribe as well. Their features were similar enough that she thought they must be siblings. Before she had time to continue her observations, a boomerang was hurtling toward her head. She quickly bent out a gust of air to knock it off course and ducked.

"Airbender?" the water tribe boy said suddenly taken aback. The boomerang clattered to the ground some distance away from them all and an air nomad boy stepped up to speak.

"Not just any airbender," he said, his staff hanging limp at his side, his eyes wide in disbelief. "The Demitar."

Raya drank in his air nomad appearance and her heart ached. She felt so many emotions swirling within her that she didn't know which one to emote. Fear, excitement, hurt, relief – it all poured out of her in the form of tears.

"Avatar Aang?" she had meant for it to be a statement. She knew she had found him, finally, and yet her words hung with a question mark, as only words from someone completely overwhelmed by a moment can. The ground felt like it was shifting beneath her suddenly, and she let herself sink to her knees.

"Woah! Is she alright?" A new voice had chimed in now, and it belonged to a short earth kingdom girl. "Her heart beat is a little erratic."

Before Raya could react, she watched as she water tribe girl walked up to her and without hesitation placed healing hands on her chest and back. She looked as if she were concentrating deeply, moving her hands methodically up and down the Demitars chi paths.

"She's just exhausted, I think." The healer placed the water from her hands back in the pouch tied to her hip and looked toward the monk. He hadn't moved or spoken since he announced the identity of the fire nation girl now in their midst. "Aang?" she asked gently, reaching out to him.

His staff clattered to the ground suddenly and he dropped to his knees in front of Raya. She tried to find any combination of words to voice all of things she needed to say; all of the questions she needed to ask. But nothing came from her lips and she simply stared, willing her facial expressions to communicate for her. The air nomad stared at her intricate blue tattoos, mirror images of his own, and she thought for a moment he was going to begin crying.

'No, don't cry, please,' she thought desperately, and before another moment could pass like that, she reached out to him and wrapped her thin arms around him. She crushed him against herself and held him, trying to stave off any tears.

The group that witnessed this all exchanged dumbfounded looks. None of them were really sure what to do next, for they had never encountered this situation before. They finally had the Demitar with them, but what that meant, none of them could truly define.

"Don't cry," Raya whispered, her words finally returning to her. It was the simplest gesture she could make, but she realized that it was enough. The Avatars arms wrapped around her and she felt him hold tightly to her, as though she would become a wisp of air at any moment.

"I'm just . . . So happy," he finally managed, speaking through white locks of hair. When he finally pulled his face away she could see that he was wearing a large and genuine smile. It held so much relief. "I'm not the last one," he continued. He gingerly touched his fingertips to her forehead arrow, as if assuring himself that it wasn't paint, or just a trick of the light.

A blood red sky pained the horizon behind the scene. The sun was nothing more than a crimson disc hanging low on the horizon. The eclipse was over, and the Avatar had failed to achieve the goals they had set. But the victory still belonged to him, now that he finally had his right hand by his side. It was more than that though. He had an airbender to share in his woes, trials, and triumphs. He had a kindred spirit to commiserate with, and laugh with, and share air nomad traditions with. Her tattoos were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, not because of the way they looked on her, but because of what they represented.

Without even realizing it, the Avatar had shifted into the avatar state, and into the spirit realm. This triggered the Demitar to shift into the spirit world as well. Raya looked around to find that she was no longer burdened by the feelings of earthly strife, and noted that the world around them had changed.

"The spirit world," she observed briefly before turning her full attention to the Avatar.

"How?" Aang began, as he hadn't been trying to trigger his avatar state at all. Suddenly they were joined by Avatar Roku and Demitar Kuyen.

"Avatar Aang, Demitar Raya," Roku greeted both patiently. "I have been waiting for you for a long time," he speculated.

"As have I," Demitar Kuyen said. The earth nation Demitar had been a ferocious earth bender, and had also had the ability to water bend. He was aged as Roku, and looked toward Raya kindly.

"This is not the way you two should have met, but we cannot rescind the past. You are together now, and you have a great deal to learn," Avatar Roku began.

"You are both of the same spirit. The Avatar is never at his full potential without the Demitar. Alternately, the Demitar is never at their full potential without the Avatar. The two are the epitome of balance. Both of you hold immense power, but ones power is nothing without the support of the other." Demitar Kuyen held out his hand and a watery version of the Yin and Yan symbol floated above it.

"Now that you have met, your spirits have been linked once more, as they have been for a hundred life times before. As your bond grows, so will your connection. You can communicate from anywhere in the world, even if you become separated. The world needs you now, more than ever, but the world has always, and will always need you. What you must never forget," Avatar Ruko was fading now, and so was the past Demitar. Raya began to panic, for she felt less prepared for her role now than she ever had. "Is that you need each other."

With their final wisdom departed, their past lives vanished and they were cast out of the spirit realm and into the mortal world once more.

Raya collapsed onto her side. She felt the exhaustion of the day over take her and, if she were being honest with herself, she welcomed the embrace of nothingness. It was the most eventful day she had participated in since her imprisonment by the Fire Lord and his daughter Azula.

Aang fell back as well, catching himself on his elbows. He always exited the spirit world feeling momentarily drained. When he had his barings, he looking up to find that Katara was at the side of the Demitar, making sure she was alright. He reached out to her and Katara stayed his hand.

"She's just asleep. She really was exhausted. I think this sent her over the edge. She just needs to rest, Aang. Don't worry, I swear she's okay other than that. Sokka! Leave the dragon alone," Katara added the last part quickly as her brother immediately withdrew the hand he had been about to use to prod the pearlescent beast.

"What? Me? I was simply-"

"Seeing how long it takes to get your arm bit off? Because that's what's going to happen."

Toph laughed and Sokka just put his hands behind his back, slinking away from Rai Jin as he opened one of his jade eyes to inspect the water tribe boy.

Raya was moved closer to the fire and placed on a bed roll. Everyone took up their chores as normal, aside from the occasional glance in the Demitar's direction; everyone but the Avatar, that is. Aang sat patiently at her side, his legs folded and arms and hands placed in a meditative position. Food was passed around, eaten, and cleaned up, but the Avatar remained unmoving.

He let out a sigh as he felt Katara's familiar hand on his shoulder. He opened his stormy gray eyes and looked over his shoulder at her. She was wearing a look of motherly concern for the air nomad.

"Aang, I don't think she's going to wake up tonight. We can all talk and sort things out in the morning. Maybe it's best that you get your rest too, so we can be ready."

"I know, I just," Aang paused and looked once again at her tattoos. "There's so much I want to say to her. To ask her. I just want to know her." Katara's face hid the flash of jealousy she suddenly felt at his words. She quickly reminded herself that the Demitar and Avatar were connected by the same powerful spirit, and that it was her own fault for interpreting his words that way.

But she couldn't help but wonder what that meant for her and the Avatar. Katara had encountered mixed feelings about him time and time again. He was so young, and yet was so wise that his age only went skin deep. He was the strongest bender he had ever seen and this always caused her to think about Aunt Wu's prediction. But how could she ignore the fact that the Avatar and Demitar's spiritual bond would bring them closer than two people could be, along with the fact that Raya looked close to Katara's age.

"You're right though," he said finally, interrupting the water bender's thought train as he picked himself up off the ground. "I think I'm going to turn in." His eyes lingered on Raya for a moment longer, and then he moved on to his own bed role.


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III

 _The awakening had taken more than one kind of toll on the Demitar, but that didn't lessen the desire of Fire Lord Ozai to meet with her. She was led to the palace, and Rai Jin was left to the care of the fire sages. They gave her their word that the dragon would be well kept until her return later in the day; she reluctantly agreed._

 _The palace had changed only slightly in the hundred years that she had been absent. The spring flowers were blooming, and the ground was littered with sakura blossoms. The ones that still clung to the trees didn't have long before their fate would be that of those already fallen. It was incredibly beautiful, none the less, and Raya tried to appreciate it._

 _She thought she was going to be taken directly to the Fire Lord, so she was more than surprised when she was led instead into a chamber that housed a large tub filled to the brim with steaming water. Around her were three serving maids that smiled politely at the Demitar, encouraging her to follow them. The décor of the room was all splendor, and she realized that she was going to be groomed before her audience with the Fire Lord._

 _"Tsk, these clothes simply won't do," one of the older waiting maids observed. She picked at a piece of Raya's clothing – a simple nomad robe from the temples – a remnant of the night she was frozen in time. She blushed without being sure why she suddenly felt so insecure. The women scrutinized her and one even took her measurements. They were a whir of hands around her body and then suddenly they were finished._

 _"Ah, yes, fit and trim. I'll bring you back something splendid." And with that the oldest woman was off, through a door on the other side of the chamber and into the unknown parts of the palace. That was the signal the other two women had been waiting for, and as soon as the oldest woman was out of sight, they began to disrobe the Demitar._

 _"Er - no, wait a second," she said, trying to find her voice. The women paused then and looked at her as though she might be daft._

 _"Forgive us, Demitar, but you wish to bathe, yes?"_

 _"Well, I guess so," she said, but her arms remained wrapped tightly around her body. "I can do that myself."_

 _"We are only here to serve, Demitar," they said, inclining their heads toward her and backing away to the corners of the room._

 _"You can just call me Raya," she allowed, removing her robes until she was in her under wraps. She left them firmly in place as she climbed into the steaming hot water. Feeling the steam sink into her pores sent a wave of pleasure through her. She had to admit, the heat and water was unbelievably welcome after everything that had transpired that morning._

 _The tension began to melt out of her muscles. Raising one hand, she let out a slow deep breath from her nostrils and steam erupted from them. The tub climbed in temperature and she nestled into the water, content._

 _"May I tend to your hair, Raya?" one of the women had stepped forward now with a comb set on a silver tray. The Demitar nodded tentatively as the woman walked to the back of the stone tub where the Demitar had been reclining. She took the white locks in her hands and began to clean and comb._

 _"Your hands, Raya?" the other waiting maid asked, and in her hand sat a tray full of manicure hygiene tools. Raya lifted her hand absently to observe her nails, as if she were suddenly reminded of their existence. The waiting maid took this as permission and gently grabbed the Demitar's hovering hand. Figuring there wasn't much harm that could come of it, she let the women continue to pamper her until the decisive click of a door sounded at the back corner of the room._

 _It was the same door through which the older waiting maid had exited only thirty minutes earlier. She had returned, only now she was baring new garments for the Demitar. She waved a hand, asking the Demitar to take her leave of the water. Raya obliged, standing and swinging her legs over the tubs edge, and back out onto solid dry stone._

 _The other maids in waiting stepped up with large white drying cloths, but the Demitar held up a dismissive hand, and instead pressed her fists together. Air coiled outward from her center and the water that had been on her landed haphazardly on the other three women in the room. Raya laughed awkwardly and raised her hands and shrugged her shoulders in apology._

 _The two younger maids looked almost awed and simply took advantage of the unused cloth in their hands while the older woman, who had shielded the clothing just in time, looked less amused by the airbending._

 _"Now then," she said, pulling the Demitar into her reaches. Raya allowed the woman to fit her into the traditional formal fire nation attire while the other two women detangled her hair and pulled it into a traditional style. Her hair flowed down her back, and the hair from her temples hung freely. The top portion of her hair went into a small bun, and a simple ornament was placed in her hair._

 _"Don't you look stunning," a cold voice echoed through the room. Raya turned to see all of her waiting maids bowing down to a steely looking woman that carried herself powerfully._

* * *

A cold sweat had beaded along the demitar's forehead and she sat bolt upright out of the sleeping role she had been placed on. She looked around, confused at first. She couldn't remember anything at all that had happened before she fell asleep. It wasn't until her eyes slid past her peacefully sleeping dragon that she began to remember everything.

Her eyes slid over the sleeping people around her and she recognized each and every one of them. She paused when her amber eyes passed over the sleeping body of the air nomad, his posture peaceful and his mouth slightly slack. She took a deep breath, and turned her eyes toward the rising sun. The horizon cast crimson and gold shadows out over the landscape and Raya pushed herself up from the ground.

Silently, she padded over to Rai Jin. She patted his scaled side and then walked down along the outer edge of the outcrop, looking for a solitary place for morning meditation. It felt so strange to assimilate herself back into the routines she would have carried on in daily life should she not have been imprisoned. She sat down finally, just far enough away from everyone that she could focus on her own breathing. The crevasse walls faced her, solid and ancient.

In. Out. In. Out. In. O-

"Raya?" The familiar voice was a bit tired sounding but also concerned. Raya relaxed her pose and turned to look up at the Avatar.

"Join me?" she offered, unsure of what else to say. Things felt more awkward than they should for someone you supposedly shared a soul with. He obliged and took a meditative seat beside her. They stayed that way for quite some time, until the sun had climbed into full view.

"Can I ask you something?" Aang said once they had finished meditation, and were both simply staring out at the rocky ledges.

"Anything," Raya said genuinely.

"Would you ride air scooters with me?"

"Wh- A what?" Raya was completely unprepared for the avatar to say something so random.

"Like this," he said, and he grabbed her wrist, not unkindly, and pulled her to her feet. She watched as he swirled air into a ball and then tossed it out in front of him. In that same instant he jumped on and balanced himself like a top, riding the air ball erratically around her. An involuntary laugh escaped her lips and she felt a pang of mourning in her chest.

The brilliant smile, the genuine joy, and the air temple that surrounded them transported the demitar back to a world where the air nomads still existed; in that moment it was as if nothing had changed in a hundred years. This could have been their first meeting, and the war may not even be happening, if she pushed out all the other memories she had collected since her awakening.

"Hey, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you," he said, rushing up to her as the air scooter dissipated. Raya looked shocked and lifted her hand to her face. Her cheek was damp and she wiped the remaining wetness away, smiling reassuringly.

"Ah, sorry, I don't know what came over me." Raya ran an absent minded hand through her white hair and shrugged.

"I'm just so excited to know another airbender again."

"As am I," Raya said, reflecting his genuine air. She was about to delve into a deeper conversation when a familiar voice rang out.

"Aang? Where are you guys?" the water bender girl was awake and in search of her companions.

"Katara," Aang said, motioning for the Demitar to follow him back to their camp. The smell of rice and other various fixings began to waft through the air. Her stomach growled and she looked for the source.

"There you are, I was a little worried." Katara was divvying out portions of food. Other children from the invasion were there too. One in a wooden chair raced passed Raya and Aang as another smaller child in a steal helmet chased him.

"Sorry, morning meditation," Aang said with a smile. Katara handed him a bowl that was air nomad friendly and then looked up at Raya.

"I'll have what he's having. Please," she added quickly, unsure of how the dynamic would work yet. Katara seemed to be the motherly figure of the group, and the master of distributing food. Raya hoped she hadn't given the girl the wrong impression, but after a moment Katara handed the Demitar a bowl identical to that of the Avatars. "Thank you," Raya said, bowing deeply and then taking a seat next to Aang.

She barely knew anyone yet, and that included the Avatar. But the fact that he was an air nomad, sharing the tattoos and abilities she did, made her feel more comfortable beside him. She was more than ready for their 'powerful bond' to kick in, but she feared that while the bond was there, there was no substitute for building a true friendship.

"So, there are some things we need to talk about now that we are all here, rested, and ready to kick some fire bender tail," Sokka said, a piece of jerked meat hanging carelessly from his mouth. He tugged at it, ripping off a hunk and chewed it vigorously.

"I agree," Katara said, taking a seat in the circle. The other kids played around them and were soon disappearing back into other parts of the temples. "First I think we need to make proper introductions. I'm Katara, and that's my brother Sokka," she gestured toward the meat guy. "This is Toph," she said, directing Raya's attention now to the earth bender. Raya took this opportunity to notice that she was blind.

"And of course, you know Aang," Katara said finally, not needing to point the Avatar out. Aang waved happily before taking another bite of his food.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you," Raya said, bowing low and smiling.

"All right, all right, we all know each other. Now, back to those evil, slimy fire benders," Sokka said, making a fist in the air.

"Fire benders are not inherently evil," Raya piped up, trying to remain steadfast. Sokka realized that she, as a firebender herself, may be taking offense to his words and recanted quickly.

"I mean, you know, besides the Demitar. You are one of the masters of good."

"The Fire Nation has brought war down upon all the nations for a hundred years, and while we know they aren't all bad, the war has left a bad taste in our mouths," Katara said, explaining her brother's lack of eloquence on the subject. "It's brought nothing but death and destruction, to all of us. In one way or another."

Raya looked down at the ground and sat her bowl aside. Aang searched what he could see of her face for a clue as to what she was feeling before she looked up again.

"I don't understand how everything in this age has become so skewed. Fire can be dangerous, and that means benders must maintain a healthy respect for it," she agreed with the group, before continuing, "but it's also life; warmth. From ashes come new life, and from our breath comes fire."

"You know, it's kind of hard to believe that a fire bender is also an air bender," Sokka observed as he took in her wisdom.

"How so?" she asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Well, fire benders are all, you know, rah rah rah," he added a scary face and claw hands to the sounds, "And air benders are all like, peace, love, air, woosh, woosh, woosh." For this final statement he added waving arm movements and a happy face.

"Air and Fire are actually great compliments," Raya said, standing. "Allow me to demonstrate. Aang, would you help me?"

"Of course," he said excitedly, standing with her.

"Okay, I'm going to make an air tunnel and then I'll need you to fire bend into it," she said, taking a bending stance.

"Oh, well, I- I can't fire bend yet," Aang admitted, looking at bit dejected.

"Lucky for you, we can reverse those roles," Raya said with a comforting smile, not wanting to see his face crestfallen anymore. She was going to have to change his inability to fire bend, though. Pushing that thought aside, she took a bending stance again, and let Aang create a large funnel of air that swirled out into the open air of the crevasse.

Raya took a steady breath, and slowly released it as she bent fire out into the air tunnel. The two of them bending together sent jolts of energy prickling along Raya's tattoos, and the group gasped as they watched what was happening. The air fueled the fire into a massive spiral, and a myriad of colored flames began to appear. Raya smiled with appreciation for the beauty they could create together.

After another moment, Raya ended the fire bending, and brought her hands down in a releasing motion. Aang cut off the air current then, and the fire tunnel dissipated before their eyes.

"Okay, I'm not a fire kinda guy, but that was cool," Sokka admitted.

"I thought it was amazing," Toph said suddenly. Aang looked toward her with a grateful smile, and then it fell as he realized he'd been tricked once again by the blind girl.

"It was actually kind of, beautiful," Katara admitted. "But you're the demitar, and Avatar. The rest of the firebenders don't bend that way. They bend with the intent to dominate," she said closing her eyes as if she were experiencing an acrid taste.

Raya looked down again, wishing she could fully understand the extent to which her people had ravaged the world.

"I need to know," Raya said suddenly, rejoining the circle and taking her seat.

"Raya?" Aang said with a bit of confusion.

"Tell me what has happened in the world. I need to know what the Fire Nation has truly done, from the beginning."

* * *

It took hours. Each member of the group took their turn explaining different parts of their journey, and how the Fire Nation had touched each of their lives for the worse. She learned of how Aang was discovered in the ice, how Zuko had chased them endlessly across the globe. She learned of the battle for the Northern Water Tribe, and how Sokka's first girlfriend had turned into the moon. They told her about their journey through Wan Shi Tongs Library, and the professor they had to leave behind. Aang told her about discovering Monk Giatso's final resting place, and his journey's into the spirit world.

Every word began to weigh on her as though she were physically carrying them. By the time everyone had told her everything they could think of to get her up to speed, she couldn't find words to give them in return. The thought of her people committing an atrocity as unforgivable as destroying the air nomads was almost more than she could bare, but the fact that there was so much more to add to that horrible event made her soul heavy.

"Thank you all, I appreciate you revisiting these memories for my sake." Raya raised her hands to her face and held them there. She was shifting through a myriad of emotions; the weight of her nations atrocities made her feel as though she were the perpetrator of these wrong doings. The fact that she was absent from the world when the war stared made her feel as though she may as well be the one responsible for everyone's suffering.

"Where were we," she said suddenly, clenching her hands into fists at her eyes. A comforting hand rested itself against the Demitar's back. Suddenly she felt herself being pulled into a gentle embrace, her face pressed into the young Avatars shoulder. "Where were we," she said again, the words muffled by his clothing. He held her patiently.

"It's my fault," he said, reminding her of what he'd said earlier.

"Aang, we've talked about this. You know it's not your fault. Running away may have been the only reason you survived," Katara interjected. Her blue eyes were sincere and still held the pain of her retelling the loss of her and Sokka's mother.

"But we're here now, and we're together," Aang said, attempting to soothe her. She realized she had been crying lightly as she finally pulled her face away from the Avatar. She sighed deeply and looked up into his somber gray eyes.

"I miss them," she said softly, wiping some of the wetness from her eyes.

"Me, too," Aang said gently, wiping some of the tears from her cheeks with the loose cloth of his robes.

"Sorry about your robe," She apologized.

"Sacrificed to a worthy cause," he replied, smiling encouragingly. Raya returned his smile, but her heart wasn't in it. She still felt the sting of her, and the Avatar's, loss as well as the guilt she associated with her absence. She wondered if it would ever truly recede.

"When I found Monk Giatso . . . I lost it. I went into the Avatar state, that's how out of control I was of my emotions. I understand your pain, Raya; deeply." He placed a caring hand on her arm and looked into her amber eyes, trying to console her. She couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to see someone you loved dearly in the state Aang had described previously.

Rai Jin nuzzled her back and grumbled with concern. She placed a reassuring hand on the dragon's snout and heaved a sigh.

"Well, I think that's enough depression for one day," Sokka said, extracting himself from the circle and gathering his club. He sheathed his boomerang and did a few warm up squats. "Time to search for some meat creatures."

"Sokka, can't you at least try to be sensitive," Katara said, glaring at her brother.

"I'm with Sokka, that's enough sad to last for the entire month," Toph agreed, stretching her feet out in front of her and picking a few pebbles from between her toes.

"They're right." Raya moved to stand, her body a bit stiff from sitting for so long. "It doesn't do to dwell on the past. And," She added, looking down at Aang, "I think it's high time we got started on firebending."

Suddenly, as if summoned by the universe, there was a rustling behind them, and the animals began to make a commotion. They all turned to see Zuko being attacked by the affectionate kisses of the sky bison. Rai Jin was also excited to see the young Fire Prince, his nostril's emitting thick clouds of black smoke as he nuzzled the boys back.

"Uh, hey. Zuko here," he said awkwardly with a wave toward the group.


	4. Chapter IV

"Zuko!" the group shouted in unison. There was surprise and uncertainty in their voices; all save for one Demitar, that is, whose voice betrayed relief. He had finally managed to escape the greater affection of the bison and dragon, and was now standing freely. Aside from his ever present agni-kai scar, he looked completely unharmed. He raised his hands disarmingly before himself and took a few tentative steps forward.

"Stay back!" Katara said warily, preparing to bend.

"Wait! I come in peace. I want to join your group – I want to help. I've changed," he said rapidly, trying to get the words out _before_ a tidal wave of water was sent crashing down on him by the water bender.

"Oh, you're good now? Like you'd changed at Ba Sing Se?" Katara retorted coldly.

"Yes! I mean – No – I thought I was doing the right thing but . . . Now I'm actually good!" He was struggling to explain himself and his merit, knowing that he didn't have the best track record with the young people that stood before him in anger and fear. "Your bison!" he said suddenly, his face lighting up a little. "I could have captured him at the lake, but I let him go instead."

As if to confirm Zuko's words, Appa gave him another great lick. Zuko made a slight grimace as he began wiping hot bison saliva from his outfit.

"Appa really does seem to like him," Aang observed, no longer in the defensive position.

"And he's telling the truth," Toph offered.

"I know I've hurt all of you in some way, but I was . . . I was confused. I've been confused for a long time, but now I see that it's the Avatars destiny to destroy my father; it's my destiny to help him do that." Zuko looked at Aang hard, and the sincerity was written across his face.

"Confused, huh? Maybe I can clear things up for you." Katara raised her slender arms and a great torrent of water began to rise from the pool nearby that had been providing the group with a water source. Zuko's eyes widened, and he raised his arms to protect himself, but didn't bend or run away. Katara's arms came down hard and the water came with them.

In the same instant Raya leapt forward, putting herself between Zuko and the water bender's wrath. In another instant Raya bent a powerful gale of air out toward the water, sending it sailing over its intended target and far over the ledge. The water flowed into the abyss and Raya brought her arms down slowly, looking Katara in the eyes.

"Wait, please! I'm begging you; stop," Raya urged. Her eyes flicked to Aang's for some kind of support. The air nomad was torn between his friends, and his teachings. He wanted to at least hear what Zuko had to say. No, they had never been on good terms, and Zuko had never given him a good reason to allow trust. But the Fire Prince had saved his life once, and in turn he was able to save his friends. The Avatar asked him if he thought – in a different time – they could have been friends. He knew the answer to that question.

"Wh- Move," Katara said, bending another surge of water into the air.

"No," Raya said, her voice hard. Her skin prickled with fire, and she could feel the energy flowing over her chi paths. The threat that the water bender presented was real, and Raya felt the push of her instincts to prepare to firebend. She quelled the urge, however, and knew that it would do no good to use the element that these people already feared and hated.

"Stop," Aang finally interjected.

"You know what he's done; what he's put us through. We can't trust him," Katara pleaded now, the water falling back into the basin as she turned towards Aang. He was steadfast in his decision and Katara slowly lowered her defenses.

"I also know what he's done. Good and bad. Give him a chance to let the good outweigh the bad," Raya pleaded. "If it weren't for him, I'd still be locked in a fire nation prison at the palace," she admitted, and watched as the faces of her new companions twisted into confusion and slight disbelief.

"It's true," Toph said, using her ability to feel heart beats once again.

"You never did get around to telling us where you've been all this time," Sokka realized as he watched the Demitar and Fire Prince closely.

Raya took a deep breath and readied herself for the explanation. As she told them her story, she began to relive it in her mind:

* * *

 _"Princess Azula," the waiting maids all greeted her with deep respect._

 _"Demitar Raya," she said coolly, stepping into the room and taking in the appearance of the Demitar._

 _"Princess," Raya said, bowing where she stood to show respect before she looked up at the Fire Princess once more. There was an air about the woman that sent small shivers down Raya's spine. She had and effortlessly menacing demeanor._

 _"My father and I have been waiting patiently for you. I've come to escort you," Aula said._

 _"Oh, princess, you needn't trouble yourself. We can-"_

 _"Do you dare question my authority?" Azula said, her words like cold steel. The women on the ground froze and the eldest shook her head quickly._

 _"N-no, Princess. Forgive me," she stammered quietly into the ground._

 _"Come with me," Azula said, making her way toward the door from which she'd come. Raya paused and looked down at the women cowering in fear. She could see one of them shaking slightly. There was something terribly off with Princess Azula, some aspect of her that was geared exclusively toward fear._

 _Raya followed, and it didn't take long for them to reach the hall just outside of the throne room. Nothing there had changed much, except for a couple new familial portraits that recognized Fire Lords that had come and gone while she had been frozen._

 _"My grandfather, Azulon," Azula pointed out as they passed, noticing the Demitar's admiring stare. "And this," she said as they entered the throne room, "is Fire Lord Ozai."_

 _The man on the throne was slightly obscured by the traditional wall of fire that ringed the Fire Throne, and Raya stepped forward to kneel to her new Fire Lord. Azula bowed as well, and then moved into the shadows at the side of the room, where the pillars obscured her from the Demitar's sight._

 _"Demitar Raya," He said, his voice smooth and deep. "You look well; I trust the waiting maids treated you well."_

 _"Thank you, Fire Lord Ozai, I'm grateful for your hospitality," she said, standing before him. She began to feel uneasy, as she watched the room around her. She hated this place, even before this moment, and the mingled fear from her past and the uncertainty she felt now clashed within her. Her stomach began to twist and she waited to be spoken to._

 _"You've missed much while you were gone. We've taken an entire nation down in your absence." He said this in a way that made him sound glad for it; accomplished. It was almost as if he were expecting Raya to regard this statement with Fire Nation pride._

 _"A nation?" she asked with disbelief._

 _"It began with Fire Lord Sozin. He had an idea, you see, to spread the prosperity of the our great nation to all the others. We are still pursuing his dream one hundred years later. We're so close to achieving all we have hoped for," He said, watching the Demitar closely to gage her reaction to his words._

 _"I don't understand."_

 _"I think you're scaring her, Father." The Fire Princess reappeared from the shadows now and showed mock concern for the Demitar._

 _"Don't worry, Raya. Your return marks the return of the Avatar. With your help he will be found easily. Then the world can truly be rid of the air nomads. We will finally succeed; with Sozin's comet, and with you by our side, we will be truly unstoppable!" The Fire Lord looked proud, and was certain that the Demitar would accept his proposal._

 _"Rid of the air nomads?" She asked, shock coloring her voice. "What have you done?" She was beginning to put the pieces of the Fire Lords words together, slowly making sense of it all._

 _The Fire Lords face turned down into an angry frown as he looked down on the defiant Demitar._

 _"I had a feeling it would be like this," he said suddenly._

 _"I won't help you do anything," Raya yelled, ignoring his observation. "I- you – an entire race of people," she said, clenching her fists in rage. "You're . . . you're monsters! Both of you!"_

 _At that, a team of soldiers raced out of the shadows and Raya looked around quickly. With a quick burst of air she leapt over their circle and towards the door. Before she could make it there, a blue fire blast erupted inches in front of her face and she skidded to a halt. Azula stood before the doors, blue fire raging at her finger tips._

 _"This is insane," Raya said, a true fear beginning to grip her. They were not going to let her go. "You can't do this!" she shouted._

 _"We're the Fire Lord and Fire Princess; we can do whatever we want," Azula said sharply, a twisted smile on her lips. The Fire Princess took great pleasure in watching the Demitar squirm. Fire erupted towards Raya from the princess' hand, and she jumped back._

 _The Demitar held out her hands in a point to deflect each blow, splitting it and sending the blue flames to either side of her. She sent out a few short blasts of her own in between Azula's and gradually realized she was being pushed back into the wall of soldiers. Suddenly a blue eruption enveloped the Demitar and she tumbled backwards, unable to keep her stance._

 _"Don't kill her. We'll only have to start our search all over again," Ozai said, almost bored at this point. Several soldiers surrounded the Demitar and she desperately scrambled to her feet. It was not enough though, and their hands descended upon her. She was shackled quickly. Determined not to go down without a fight, she sucked in a large breath and blew it out hard, sending her backwards into the soldiers and pushing Azula back against the wall._

 _Azula straightened her hair, cast into disarray from the gust of wind, and then walked calmly to where the Demitar lay upon the marble floor. She grabbed her collar roughly and pulled the Demitar up enough that her face was inches away from the Fire Princess'. The other soldiers began picking themselves up and coming to collect her._

 _"Blow all the air you want. Fight. Struggle. You're going to die in a prison cell," Azula said, her face just inches from the Demitars. Raya glared at her, and grimaced as Azula tossed her backwards onto the marble floors. "Get her out of my sight," Azula commanded. With that, the Demitar was led away from the throne room._

* * *

The Demitar shuttered a little as she finished that memory and followed through into the time she spent in her cell, Zuko's visits, and her eventual escape thanks to him. The group around them looked on with sympathy at the Demitar's tale. They then turned their attention to Zuko, who was watching them all carefully to see how they would receive the Demitar's story.

"He's the reason I'm here now, alive and well; the reason Rai Jin is with me again." The Demitar's mind flashed back to the time Azula had visited her to gloat about receiving the dragon title for slaying Rai Jin. Raya had been so consumed by grief she had breathed fire through the metal bars. The Fire Princes had merely smirked at the reaction and left without another word.

"Azula always lies," Zuko said, guessing at the memories that were plaguing the Demitar. It was a line he had grown very used to repeating; one that he had had to employ the use of excessively during his childhood.

"And how can we know you don't, too?" Katara finally said, looking hard at Zuko. She made no move to attack, but it was clear that she was still under the impression that this had to be some kind of ploy on Zuko's behalf to win the gangs trust.

"Katara-" Raya began to plead, but was cut off as a sudden burst of energy shot into the stone between them and exploded. Shock waves rippled through the temples and everyone became unsteady for a moment.

"Oh no," Zuko said with a wave of remembrance.

"Combustion man!" Sokka shouted and began herding everyone behind a stone wall near the outcrop. Everyone took cover but Zuko who was looking up at the man on the cliffs.

"Zuko!" Raya called out, but he was already moving away from them and up to the assassin.

"I order you to stop!" Zuko shouted as the man sent out another harsh blast. The team below watched as the Fire Prince climbed with great agility up the stone face to gain level ground with the man. "I'll pay you double," he said quickly, grabbing the telekinetic fire bender's arm in an attempt to get his attention. The man cast Zuko off to the side as though he were nothing more than a child and took a deep breath for another blast. Zuko tumbled backwards off the cliff and Raya felt her stomach lurch.

There was no time to worry over his safety though, as everyone else was still in peril. As another blast ricocheted off the out crop, massive chunks of the structure began to fall away. They tumbled and fell endlessly into the abyss below.

"We can't take much more of this, he's going to blow us right off the cliff!" Sokka yelled, pulling his boomerang from his back. He let one more beam make contact with the temple before he garnered his trajectory. With a silent prayer to the spirits and a steady arm he flung the boomerang out into the unknown.

It hit its target square. With a small gasp the assassin's third eye misfired and he exploded where he stood. His metal arm fell into the rift below and just as the dust cleared, they saw Zuko pull himself up over the ledge he'd fallen off of.

Raya let out a sigh of relief as she watched the Fire Prince make his way back to the group. There was less distain in the eyes of the group as he joined them and Raya turned to Aang.

"He risked his life for you; us. He deserves a chance," Raya said.

"I think you're right," the Avatar said. "I need to know my friends are okay with it, though. This is their journey, too." He turned to face Katara, Sokka, and Toph.

"I'll go along with whatever you think is right," Sokka said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I think you're doing the right thing," Toph agreed.

"Okay," Katara said after a long pause, but she looked unhappy none the less. "But I'll be watching you; closely," the water bender said, making harsh eye contact with the prince. He nodded once in acknowledgement before everyone split up from the group and began to clean up the outcrop.

Toph moved the rubble, making quick work of it with her earth bending, while Katara grabbed their bedrolls and supplies. The area was in complete disarray, but the benders were making quick work of setting things right. Sokka took the opportunity to show the newest member of their group to a room within the temple.

"I hope this is the right thing," Aang said, standing next to the Demitar.

"It is, Aang. I know it," she replied confidently.


	5. Chapter V: The Firebending Masters

**[A/N: To everyone who reads, thank you so much! I'm really passionate about this character and her story. Even greater thanks to those of you who reviewed; it means the world to me! I write in this story nearly every day, as well as tote my project binder to work with me to edit what is already written so I can provide you with the cleanest, clearest version possible. I want to do this story justice, and with that being said, I'd like to keep a schedule of having a new chapter posted every Sunday** _ **.**_ **Please continue to enjoy.]**

Chapter V: The Fire Bending Masters

The sun had just begun to paint the morning sky with fiery orange and gold hues as Raya and Aang made their way across a sky bridge to practice their meditation. There was a cool breeze on the air, and the temple they settled on the edge of had moss and vines hanging in organized chaos from its outer walls. It was a spot a good distance from the main group so that they would remain undisturbed when their friends began to wake.

The time passed quickly, and Raya was excited to begin Aang's firebending lessons. The air nomad seemed less enthusiastic, and even suggested they extend their morning meditation by an hour. Raya gave him a stern look and shook her head. When Aang knew there was no way around it, they both stood and headed back across the sky bridge to fetch breakfast and the Fire Prince.

"Okay, first, just show us what you can do," Zuko offered as they stood on an outcrop of the temple grounds. "Any amount of fire you can create." It was spacious enough that nothing would be harmed by the fire bending that was set to take place. The Avatar swallowed visibly and took a slow breath. He pushed one arm out into the open air with a fist and the other folded into his side.

A small puff of smoke was the only thing that emitted from his closed fist.

"Sorry," He offered, looked at the Demitar and Fire Prince a bit dejectedly. "Perhaps a demonstration?" he asked, looking hopefully to both of them.

"Sure," Raya said, stepping up between the two. She moved a bit closer to the ledge, and in a series of fluid movements sent three medium blasts into the crevasse. The heat from them was felt from where the other two stood. She took a final breath and exhaled steadily, bringing her hands down in front of her to end the movement.

"That was awesome!" Aang said, watching the Demitar with admiration. She bowed to them both and smiled playfully as she tossed some of her white locks behind her, as they'd fallen over her shoulder during her demonstration. Aang continued to smile dumbly as she approached.

"Thanks. Remember, it comes from your breath - You okay?" she asked, observing the still present smile.

"Huh? I'm fine, why?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" The Demitar asked taking her previous position amongst the group. Aang felt a moment of déjà vu as he remembered a time when the exact same thing had occurred when he'd first met Katara. He rubbed the back of his bald head absently and laughed awkwardly.

"No reason," he said, looking at Zuko expectantly. The Fire Prince rolled his eyes at the other two, and then stepped up. With a solid punch into the open air he sent a valiantly small burst of fire out into the space his fist occupied and his brow furrowed in confusion. Raya, too, was confused and Aang clapped encouragingly.

"Something's wrong," he said, turning a different way and trying again to the same end. He began punching the air in succession, and nothing greater emitted than what had on the first try.

"I think it's great," Aang said, trying to be supportive.

"Don't patronize me!" he said angrily. "You know what it's supposed to look like." Zuko looked down at his hands, staring hard.

"Maybe that's enough firebending for today," Raya said, looking at Zuko with concern. "Katara and Toph have lessons for you, too." Aang nodded and departed across the sky bridge to join the larger congregation of their group.

"Zuko?" she asked, reaching out to him, unsure of how to approach or handle this situation.

"Just go," he said, still staring hard at his open hands. She wanted to argue; to stay and help him figure this out, but she knew it would only suffice to make him angrier.

She spent the day watching Aang practice his other elements. She admired water bending the most. As she watched Katara push and pull the water, she thought back to the many times she had wondered what it would be like to have been born a water bender, instead of air. Aang was so natural in the element, too. He did it with such fluid grace that Raya wouldn't have been surprised if that was the element he was born with originally.

Katara was an incredibly kind and patient teacher as well. Any time Aang had trouble getting a technique just right, Katara would guide him through it slowly; surely. He left their training lesson having learned everything she taught that day. He was incredibly gifted for such a young boy, but then he already had his tattoos. It had taken the Demitar to the age of 14 to master her fire bending.

Toph was a much harder teacher. That didn't make her any less effective. Earth was an incredibly stubborn element, and Raya could feel with every boulder Aang moved that it took him a great deal of concentration; Air and earth were opposing elements, after all. Toph pushed Aang because he needed to be pushed with this element. He had to develop a place within himself that was hard and unwavering, which was completely opposite of the nomadic teachings.

To be free flowing, passive, and as mobile as a gust of wind was the way of the airbender. To air bend was to be entirely about movement and agility while earth bending was about finding your root and remaining immovable. She admired the way Aang pushed himself to conquer the element and adapt his ways in order to master it.

As the day wound down, everyone that had finished lessons with Aang moved to doing chores and helping Katara with dinner. It was then that Raya decided – after watching every other element be worked that day – that she wanted to remember why she loved air bending so much.

"Hey," she nudged Aang as she walked up beside him. She was holding a long staff in her hand.

"Hey," he said, turning his attention away from Momo, with whom he had been playing. The flying lemur scampered up to his shoulder and looked at Raya inquisitively. Raya held the staff out and with a bit of air bending propelled it out so that it flew into the hand of the Avatar. He looked at it for a second. "My staff," he said, looking at her in a bit of confusion.

She nodded her head as a gesture to follow, and she moved away from the group and out toward the animals. Rai Jin was sleeping, as was his usual mode of operation when Raya wasn't pestering the adolescent dragon. He looked up slowly and black plumes roiled easily from his nostrils. She patted his scaled side affectionately and then detached a long staff from her saddle. It was very similar to Aangs, except hers was still an original relic, hand crafted by the monks of the Eastern Air Temple. Aang had been patting Rai Jin's neck gently when he realized what she had in her possession.

"A glider!" he said enthusiastically, his face lighting up at the sight of it.

"Yes!" she said excitedly, snapping its orange wings open and nodding to his. He did the same without hesitation. "See ya!" she said playfully as she ran to the edge of the precipice. Anyone else would have been stopped by their instinct of self-preservation, but the Demitar stepped easily off the ledge, glider in hand, and was suddenly gone from sight; freefalling.

Aang laughed loudly and tossed his glider into the air to follow her. She reappeared then with her glider on her back, bending the currents easily around her. She closed her eyes and felt the sun bathe her in complete light and warmth as she rose out of the crevasse. The wind caressed her exposed skin and tossed her white hair wildly behind her. She took a deep breath and reveled in the feeling of such utter freedom. She missed this life.

Before she knew it, Aang was flying over her and doing spins in the air. Raya laughed and did a spiral of her own to show off and Aang followed up with some more acrobatics. Raya's heart felt full to bursting as she glided through the clouds with the Avatar.

As the sun began to set, Raya felt her stomach protest at its lack of sustenance. With a mental sigh she signaled to Aang that she was heading back, and he nodded, following at her side. They each landed with soft feet and clicked their gliders shut.

"I almost forgot how fun it is to fly," she said, reattaching her glider to its slot in Rai Jin's saddle.

"To be honest, so did I," Aang admitted, watching Raya closely. "I forgot what it was like to be around another air bender at all. Thank you," he said, smiling genuinely. Raya returned the smile and bowed. The Avatar wrapped his arms around her suddenly and a small gasp escaped her lips. She looked down for moment before wrapping her arms around him, returning the hug.

"Let's promise to have fun at least once a day. Not always so serious," Raya said, stepping back to look at the air nomad.

"Agreed," he smiled.

"Hey, there you are. I was starting to worry." Katara had spotted them with the animals and walked toward them. "You have to stop just disappearing," she said disapprovingly, but not angrily.

"We were flying, sorry," Aang said with an apologetic smile and a shoulder shrug. Katara motioned for them to come sit with everyone, but not before Raya noticed the flash of emotion on her face. Raya couldn't tell what it meant, but hoped that Katara wasn't genuinely upset with them.

They all settled around the fire and Raya began eating. The room they were in was large and she imagined that, at one time, it was also quite beautiful. It still held beauty, but the beauty of something that has begun to be reclaimed by nature. Tendrils of vines had begun to creep down the inner walls of this room and there was rubble and dirt scattered variously about. It was at this time she realized they were still short a member.

"I have bad news," Zuko said suddenly from the door way. Raya looked over with relief. "I've lost my fire bending." Katara let out a laugh and covered her mouth quickly. "What's funny about this?" Zuko asked angrily.

"It's just . . . Do you know how convenient it would have been for us if you would have 'lost your bending' a long time ago. I'm just saying," she said. She didn't look remotely apologetic for her words, and Raya withheld the urge to glare at her.

"This is serious," he said, and Raya could tell that he had spent the entire day dwelling on this problem. "If I can't figure out how to bend again, I can't help teach Aang."

"Raya is perfectly able to teach Aang," Katara said, as though the loss of his bending was nothing to be concerned about.

"How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and couldn't water bend," Raya shot at her, unable to continue watching her belittle Zuko. "This is no longer an issue of teaching Aang, it's a matter of helping our friend in his time of need." Katara looked into her bowl of food and said nothing.

"Maybe, you spent all those years using rage to fuel your bending, and without it you don't know how to bend," Aang offered.

"I learned to earth bend from the original masters. The badger-moles helped me understand how to make my earth bending an extension of myself," Toph said, recalling her time with the blind creatures.

"Hey, yeah! Maybe you could give me a lesson some time buddy," Aang shouted over to Appa. The creature simply roared in response.

"There's only one dragon left in the entire world," Zuko said, gesturing behind himself and towards Rai Jin.

"Only one?" Raya said suddenly, looking out the door toward Rai Jin.

"What happened to them?" Aang asked, confused. "There were tons of dragons before we froze. Roku had a dragon," Aang said.

"Well there aren't any now, okay?" Zuko said, frustrated. Raya could tell he was brushing the subject off purposefully.

"Okay, sorry, sorry," Aang said, raising his hands in apology. The Fire Prince leaned against the door frame and looked out into the night air.

"There is something we could try," he offered, "There's a Sun Warrior village not far from here. We could check it out."

"But I thought they died out thousands of years ago," Aang said.

"They did. There may be an answer to this somewhere in their ruins. It's worth a try" he said, and Raya knew they were going.

The night came and went quickly and Raya awoke for morning meditation to find that Aang and Zuko were already packing up Appa. She approached them casually and tossed a small bag up onto the creatures back.

"You're already a perfectly fine fire bender, what are you doing?" Zuko asked, trying to retrieve the bag.

"I'm going," she said defiantly. "I've spent 100 years separated from the Avatar. Do you honestly think I'm going to let him gallivant off into the sunset with the Fire Prince without me? After everything it took for me to find him?"

"She's got a point," Aang said, excited to see that she was joining them.

"Were you just going to go without me?" she asked then, turning to face Aang suddenly.

"Well, no- I- Zuko said you didn't need to," he explained clumsily, wishing there wasn't hurt lingering in her eyes. It sent a pang through his chest.

"Sure, throw me under the bus," Zuko said flatly. Aang blushed and shrugged his shoulders. She just shook her head and with an air burst leapt onto the bison's back. Aang sighed and followed suit while Zuko clambered up the old fashioned way.

As Raya settled herself into the back of the bison's saddle she watched as a large white dragon head found its way to her. Rai Jin was standing beside the bison with his head over the saddle, just inches in front of Raya. He puffed a bit, smoke wafting gently from his nose, and gave a low grumble.

"I'm sorry buddy, we only need one flying beast in the air at a time; Appa is better suited for a group." She rubbed his snout and watch as his jade eyes blinked slowly at her touch.

"Don't worry, everyone will take good care of you," Aang said, venturing to pat the scaled side of Rai Jin's neck. "Wow, he feels like fire." It wasn't hot enough that Aang had to jerk away, but he had to admit the dragon was the hottest blooded creature he'd ever made contact with. He watched then the way Raya interacted with Rai Jin and realized it was a lot like the way that he interacted with Appa.

"They _are_ fire," Raya said with a small chuckle at his observation.

"I hate to cut this short, but we need to get going if we want to make it in good time," Zuko said, not unkindly. Everyone nodded in agreement and Raya gently pushed Rai Jin's large head over the saddle until Appa was clear to take off. He let out a growl and looked up after her as they departed.

The journey itself was incredibly uneventful. Aang sat at the head of the bison and kept the reigns while Zuko sat at the front of the saddle, facing the rear. Raya sat at the back of the saddle facing the front until her and Zuko had made awkward eye contact one too many times. She moved to the side of the saddle, then, and watched as the earth beneath passed by in a whir of color. It was like watching an oil painting that made little sense, all in shades of green and brown.

Her hair tumbled around her in the passing air as Appa pushed on toward the Sun Warrior ruins, and she ended up tucking it all behind her ears to keep it from her eyes.

"You wore it," Zuko observed, coming to kneel next to her. He looked out over the edge as well for a moment.

"Hm?" she asked, confused for a moment, "Oh, the clothing. It's really great, Zuko. I was really, well, surprised that you were able to have something like this made." She pulled at a small piece of the looser fabric and admired it.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, with a small smile, "but I was referring to the ornament." Her hand flew to it absently at its mention and for whatever reason she felt a light blush begin on her cheeks.

"Oh, right," she said, letting her hand fall down to the saddle once more. She kept her eyes down, watching the blur of scenery pass as she added, "The craftsmanship is amazing."

"Oh, er, yeah. Fire Nation craftsmen are the finest," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Zuko," Raya said, her voice suddenly low.

"Hm?"

"What _did_ happen to the dragons?" Her arms were hanging loosely over the edge of the saddle and she watched them sway as the passing air tugged at them whimsically. She wondered for a moment if Zuko had even heard her as the pause between their words grew.

"My great-grandfather happened." Raya looked up to find the prince, still kneeling next to her, with his eyes pointed at his hands in his lap. He seemed distraught about the subject, as though all his families' mistakes and tragedies were his own to bare personally. "He began the tradition of slaying dragons for glory. Any one strong enough to take down a dragon earned the dragon title. My uncle defeated the last one years ago."

"Oh," was all Raya could muster when he'd finish. There was a heavy silence between the two of them in that moment.

"You okay?" Zuko asked, breaking the silence as it began to weigh on him.

"How could anyone be so . . ." She struggled to find the right words.

"My uncle isn't a bad person; actually, he's one of the wisest men I know. He just has a complicated past. Runs in the family, I guess," Zuko said solemnly.

"We're here!" Aang said happily as he turned back to look at the two. He noticed then that they were seated side by side at the edge of the saddle and turned away quickly. His heart gave an uneasy thud and he pushed the feeling away quickly while Appa descended.

"Finally," Zuko muttered as he moved back to the front of the saddle to watch as they approached the ground.

"Agreed," Raya whispered to herself. No matter what his family had done, he had become dear to her. He rescued her and her dragon. For that she would be eternally grateful.

The ruins hardly looked like ruins at all. In fact, many – if not all of the buildings – were still intact. Raya admired the larger buildings she could see off in the distance as the group began to walk down a high walled path that seemed to lead directly to the main temple. Its peak was visible from their place on the ground, and it was clearly the focal point of the Sun Warrior civilization.

"This architecture – it's amazing," Zuko observed as he looked up and around at the buildings that could be seen from their position. "I can tell a lot of Fire Nation buildings are modeled off of this style."

"I see it, too," Raya agreed.

Before they could make it more than a few steps down the walled path, Aang managed to activate a trip wire. The booby-trap caused the solid floor directly in front of the Avatars feet to slide down, leaving nothing but an array of spikes several feet before him. He waved his arms in an attempt to gain his balance as he fell forward. Blowing a harsh gust of air from his mouth he used it to flip over the pit. His feet landed directly at the edge of safety on the other side, and thinking quickly, Raya bent a current of air into his back to shove him the rest of the way onto the smooth stone.

The Avatar let out a lengthy sigh as he placed his hands on his knees for a moment, letting his heart rate return to normal. He turned suddenly to face the two on the other side of the death pit.

"Guys, I think the past is trying to kill me," he said comically, looking uncomfortable.

"Wow, these booby-traps must be thousands of years old, and they still work," Zuko said as he bent to admire the tripped wire.

"Maybe we should just go back. Who knows how many more of these things there are," Aang said, looking to Raya for sympathy.

"No way," Zuko said quickly. "We've already made it this far."

"He's right," Raya agreed with the Fire Prince after a lengthy pause. "We're just going to have to be more careful. Let me lead," Raya suggested as she used a burst of air to leap over the pit. Zuko backed up a bit for a running start and propelled himself around the pit by running along the wall.

They continued on unhindered by anymore traps by the time they reached the center temple. Its architecture was the grandest of all of the buildings they could see. The large set of stone steps that lead to main doors landing were decorated with intricate golden dragons on either side. The bodies of the dragon statues extended all the way from the first step to the last; bodies waving and twisting naturally.

Raya extended a hand to touched one of the golden dragons and admired the work that must have gone into its creation. Both statues were remarkably realistic and she quelled the pang she felt at missing her own dragon. She continued to climb and as she hit the platform at the top step she noticed that Aang and Zuko had pried the temple doors open to enter.

"Wait!" she called as she hung back near the stone steps.

"What?" Zuko asked, and Aang's face mirrored the question.

"Well, what if it's another trap? What it someone comes?" She protested at their lack of concern.

"The place has been deserted for thousands of years," Zuko said, turning to enter the building regardless of the Demitar's qualms. Aang hung back and approached her.

"He's right, and even if it is booby-trapped we'll just have to be careful," Aang said, hoping he was easing her mind.

"I'm not sure."

"I'm not either," he admitted. "But I can't just let Zuko go alone . . . You could keep watch, if you want; that way you can stay outside," he offered gently.

"Okay," she said slowly and after a lengthy pause of deliberation. She wasn't keen on leaving him to enter the temple without her, but the fact that Zuko was with him was enough to ease her tempest of thoughts.

Aang disappeared through the large temple doors and Raya stood at the stair case, continuing to admire the dragon statues. There was no one in sight, but she still felt uneasy about the place. The deeper they had gone into the city the more she had felt as though they were being watched. It was silly, she knew, because they had seen no signs of inhabitants for their entire walk, but the feeling lingered.

The wind picked up and tossed her white locks around her shoulders effortlessly. She ran her hands over the softness absent mindedly as she waited for her companions to re-emerge from the temple.

"Raya!" she heard suddenly, and as she began to run for the door, it slid shut heavily; stone grating across stone. She slammed her fists into the door and bent air and fire at it. Nothing.

"Aang!" she called, fear swelling in her chest. She could hear muffled yelling from behind the doors and looked up at the top of the temple. Pushing away from the doors and backing up she bent air bursts under herself, allowing her to take large leaps up the side of the massive structure. When she finally reached the top, she noticed the grate that was placed at the center point of the temples roof.

"Raya!" she heard again, and suddenly Zuko's face was visible from the grate. She ran forward and looked down at the Fire Prince. He was covered in a dark green substance that appeared to be gluing him to the bars.

"What the -" She said as Aang's face suddenly came into view beside him. "What's happening?" Raya asked as she felt the tang of panic rising in the back of her throat.

"Zuko picked up the stupid egg!" Aang shouted as the goo pressed against the backs of the two and finally stopped at bars. Their faces were stuck through the bars allowing them to breathe and speak. For that, at least, they were all grateful. It gave them time to figure out what to do next.

"At least I made something happen! If it were up to you we wouldn't even have made it to the temple!" Zuko said with frustration.

"Woah! Stop fighting!" Raya said, hushing the two boys. "For the love of the spirits . . ." She muttered, holding the sides of her head in exasperation as she knelt down beside the boy's immobile bodies.

"You're right. Sorry," Aang apologized sincerely.

"Well, what do we do now," Zuko asked no one in particular. They sat in silence for a few moments, thinking.

"I'm the worst Demitar _ever._ " Raya had pressed a fist against her forehead, obscuring her arrow from sight as she thought. She was becoming frustrated with herself.

"That's not true," Aang said quickly.

"Look at this mess," She said, gesturing to the goo.

"But you're not in the goo, so that's something. We could all be stuck. Then what would we do?" Aang said, his positive attitude shining like a beacon.

"That's it!" Zuko said suddenly. "She isn't stuck!"

"Yeah, I said that," Aang said in mock irritation.

"No, no. She isn't stuck; as in she can go for help," Zuko said, looking towards the Demitar.

"You mean leave you both here?" she asked, uncertain.

"It's not like we're going anywhere," Zuko said flatly as he wiggled his face to no avail.

"I know you don't wanna leave, but," Aang said, wishing there were an alternative, too. "We really don't have much of a choice."

"I know," Raya said after a short pause. She sucked in a deep breath and as she exhaled she stood and looked out over the city. She wasn't even sure where to begin. Should she fly back to the others? No. That would be a last resort. She didn't want to go that far from the two. "I'll come back soon," she promised, and then she was gone, off the temple and out into the ruins of the city as the sun began to set.

"Now what?" Aang asked.

"Contemplate our places in the universe?" Zuko suggested. Aang huffed lightly, wishing he could at least move his body. After another lengthy silence he began to think of Raya off in the city, alone, probably worried.

"Hey," Aang said to get the Fire Princes attention.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?" The Avatar asked after a brief pause.

"Sure."

"Let's say you meet someone, and you really like them; love them even, maybe. And you've been on so many adventures together, and shared so much together. But then you meet someone else," Aang paused for a moment to see if Zuko would interject, but he simply listened in silence. "And this person just . . . completes you somehow. They have so much in common with you, and you feel peaceful with them. . . What do you do?"

"About what?"

"About choosing, I guess," Aang said, unsure of how specific to get. Zuko had a feeling he knew both people the Avatar was referring to, but didn't push it further.

"Honestly? If you loved the first one, you wouldn't have fallen for the second," he said plainly.

"It's just . . . I thought I knew how I felt. But now?" He paused and his mind raced with images of Raya. He pictured her under her glider, laughing genuinely as she watched him flip and twirl through the air beside her; her white hair tossing in the wind, shining like silk beneath the suns uninhibited rays. And her arrows; something he had not seen on another living person in what felt like an eternity.

"Hearts change," Zuko replied simply.

The sun was long gone from the sky as exhaustion began to take hold of the Avatar and Fire Prince. They both let sleep take them for a few hours before feeling themselves wide awake from the stress of being stuck.

"Do you think she's okay," Aang finally wondered aloud. It had been the first words they had spoken since their conversation about changing hearts.

"I really hope so. How's that spiritual connection thing going? Can you communicate with her yet?" Zuko asked.

"I've never really tried," Aang admitted.

"Now would be a great time to figure it out," Zuko pressed.

Just then, as the horizon was dimly lit with morning's twilight they saw the familiar white hair of the Demitar appear at the edge of their vision. Being able to mostly only see directly up was not only perturbing, but made being trapped especially tedious.

"Raya!" Aang called out with excitement and relief.

"Did you bring help?" Zuko asked quickly.

"You're not going to believe this," Raya said as she looked over her shoulder. Before the two boys could ask, they followed her gaze to a man that looked strikingly similar to those on the intricate wall depictions outside the temple. He wore traditional tribal attire and was followed by a few more tribe's people.

"Are they. . ." Zuko began to ask.

"They are," Raya finished his thought for him, nodding.

It took a bit of work, but the other tribe's people – with the help of ant-eater-aardvarks – managed to free the two from the main part of the dark green goo. The giant creatures were still working to lick the boys clean on the ground in front of the temple when the chief finally spoke.

"What were you doing in the sacred temple?"

"They must be after our treasures!" A shifty looking priest had stepped up beside the chief and was watching the boys suspiciously.

"No they weren't – we're not," Raya corrected him, defending herself and the others.

"We're looking for the origin of firebending," Zuko said. He was mostly free now and began to stand, trying to scrape some of the goo off himself. The creature that had been licking him continued to do so, much to the Fire Princes' chagrin.

"I don't usually play this card, but I'm the Avatar and this is the Demitar," Aang said from the ground, inclining his head towards Raya as he spoke. "We really just want to know about the true source of firebending. We didn't even know anyone still lived here," Aang said apologetically.

"We're sorry for intruding and all the trouble we've caused you and your people, but can you help us?" Raya asked.

"To learn the true source of firebending, you will have to face the masters, Ran and Shaw," the chief said simply.

"That's great! When can we meet them?" Aang asked enthusiastically.

"Right now," the chief said with a grin, "but first you'll need a piece of the eternal flame." The group exchanged questioning glances with each other, but said nothing. They all nodded in agreement and once Aang was free of his sticky prison, the group followed the chief to a large fire at another temple. It was kept under a large over hanging roof, held aloft by great stone pillars.

"This is the first fire given to man by the masters," the chief said, extending his hand into the flame to extract some. "The Sun Warriors have kept it going for thousands of years, never letting it become extinguished."

"Wow . . . You've kept it going all this time?" Aang asked in disbelief.

"Of course," the chief replied matter-of-factly, and then took the fire in his hands and split it into two. He held his hand out for Aang to take the first one. "Now, you must each take a piece of the eternal flame and carry it up the mountain. At the top, you will present your offering to the masters."

"Uh, well, you see," Aang said, looking nervously at the fire ball, "I'm not an actual firebender yet."

"Just take it, don't be such a coward," Zuko said.

"Hey, don't be mean," Raya said quickly before giving the Avatar a look of encouragement. Aang visibly gulped and held out cupped hands. The chief placed the fireball gently within them and moved on to Zuko and Raya.

"Hey, it's like a little heart beat," Aang observed as Raya and Zuko accepted their fire.

"Be warned, young ones. Fire can be a fickle thing; make your flame too big, and it will consume you; make it too small, and your flame will go out." The group exchanged glances once more and then Raya turned her head up toward the top of the mountain.

"We'd better get moving," she said to the other two.

The climb wasn't that bad, aside from having to hold the flame out carefully. Concentrating on the size and form of the ball was a matter of keeping their breathing steady and even, something Raya and Zuko were very mindful of. Aang, however, was struggling, as he didn't yet know a lot of the basic principles of fire bending.

"You need to make your flame bigger, it's going to go out," Zuko chided as he climbed.

"What if it gets too big?" Aang asked with worry.

"You can control it, I know you can," Raya said confidently. "Remember to breathe evenly. Firebending is about control of the breath."

"You're a talented kid, you'll be okay," Zuko added. Aang took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The flame grew slightly, enough that the wind no longer threatened to extinguish it. He beamed up at the other two with pride and Raya looked down at him encouragingly.

When they finally made it to the top of the mountain, the Sun Warriors were already there, waiting. The top of the peak was all flat, except for a giant set of stairs that led to a platform situated between two caves. The chief nodded to them in approval as he stepped forward to greet them.

"I'll need a piece of the eternal flame for the summoning ritual," he said, extending his hand. Raya obliged, holding out her flame. He took a piece of it and then split it, handing it to the people on either side of him. They split their flame and handed the second off, again and again until several people were tossing their flame in a loop. The chief directed them up the stone steps and they obliged.

"I don't know about this," Aang said timidly. "What if we face the masters, and they decide we aren't worthy. What if they attack?"

"They're probably ancient, I bet we could take them if we had to. We're the Fire Prince, Avatar, and Demitar," Zuko said.

"It's going to be fine," Raya said, though his fear was causing fear to bloom within herself. She wasn't sure if it was their connection, or her own mind. The group stepped up onto the platform as ceremonial drums beat rapidly below them. Raya could feel her heart increase in speed with the drums as Aang bowed to the right cave, his flame outstretched; Zuko to the left in the same manor. Raya bowed out into the horizon between the two boys.

As the drums beat heavily, a small rumble came from the caves and the earth shivered with the movement of whatever was inside. Aang panicked and turned to look around at the other cave and his companions.

"What's happening?" he asked quickly, taking a few steps toward Zuko, then Raya, before returning to his spot once more and bowing only to realize that his flame was gone. He gasped and turned to Zuko. "Zuko, give me some of your fire," Aang said, running up to the Fire Prince.

"No way, just make some of your own," Zuko said, trying to ignore him.

"Come on Zuko, please," Aang pleaded.

"Just go get some of theirs," Zuko said, trying to push Aang off of his back as the Avatar was reaching around him for his flame.

"That's too far!" Aang protested. "I'll never make it!"

"Stop cheating off me!" Zuko yelled.

"Guys, stop!" Raya said harshly, as she turned. Her flame was still there but she noticed that both boys had managed to lose theirs in their scuffle. "Here, hurry – whoa," she said, offering her own flame, but stopped as a large quake rumbled through the mountain. She was cut short abruptly as two large dragons flew from the caves, and she dropped her arms in awe, her fire dissipating.

The dragons began to swirl around them on the platform and Raya couldn't believe her eyes. Dragons. Two living, breathing dragons. They were massive, indicating that they were most likely very old, and wise. She felt her heart hammer in her chest as she watched the blue and red dragons swirl through the air. Rai Jin was not the last one. This thought brought the familiar sting of tears to her eyes.

"Beautiful," she whispered, lost in their movements.

"Still think we can take them," Aang joked nervously.

"Shut up, I never said that," Zuko snapped quickly as they back towards the Demitar who didn't seem concerned at all.

"Wait," Aang said, thinking back to the dance they had learned in the temple while Raya had waited outside. "I think they want us to dance with them."

"Are you crazy?" Zuko asked.

"Well, they want us to do something." Zuko looked at Aang hard for a moment before agreeing, and as Raya continued to stand in the center of the platform watching the dragons, Aang and Zuko did the dragon dance around her. The dragon's flight patterns changed then and they truly danced with the boys as they did the movements across the platform. When Aang and Zuko's fists came together for the final movement, the dragons settled heavily on either side of the stone platform and looked down at the three.

"Now what?" Aang said, nervousness leaking from every word.

"You're the one that said we should dance with them," Zuko hissed.

"Well, they did something didn't they?" Aang replied. Suddenly their great maws opened and fire blasted toward them. Aang and Zuko cringed for inpact, and Raya looked on as though she were entranced by it. In the last moment the dragon's fire clashed and began to swirl up around the three in a brilliant inferno full of different colors. They all looked on, eyes wide with appreciation, and the boys visibly relaxed as they took it all in.

"I understand now," Zuko mumbled as he watched the colors swirl.

"It's beautiful," Aang said, feeling the fear and anticipation he had felt towards fire bending abate. The fire began to dissipate, and Shaw's massive head came into the circle. He looked towards Raya and moved toward her. Aang tensed and began to move toward her, but Zuko grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait," Zuko said, watching the dragon carefully. "I don't think he means any harm."

Raya looked at the dragon, her face serene, and touched his snout gently. A long tendril from his snout snaked out to touch the tip of her arrow, and she froze. Her tattoos began to glow, and Aang felt the presence of the dragon between them. The scene was so incredibly familiar, as Roku's dragon had communicated with him the same way months ago.

After a few moments, Raya's body finally relaxed, and she appeared to begin breathing again. The fire had completely dissipated and the dragons withdrew from the platform, pushing their massive forms off into the air. The snaked up into the sky, before turning to funnel back into their caves.

"Raya?" Aang asked anxiously. Both Zuko and Aang ran up to the Demitar to make sure she wasn't harmed.

"I'm okay," she said softly, looking down at her hands, her eyes full of wonder.

"What happened?" Zuko asked quickly.

"I don't really know . . . I can't remember," She said honestly. She seemed a little confused herself, but she was happy.

"You can't remember?" Aang asked.

"I feel like he gave me something, and spoke to me . . . but I can't remember any of it." The corners of her mouth tugged down slightly, but she shook her head and looked at both of them.

"It doesn't matter," She said. "The fire, it was – it was amazing." They all agreed as they made their way down the platform to the chief. He was waiting for them patiently.

"My uncle didn't kill the last dragon," Zuko said, and Raya could almost see a visible tension lift from his shoulders. "He lied to protect them."

"You're uncle seems like a very wise man," Raya said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"He is," Zuko said softly, then taking a stance, he bent a strong blast of fire out and away from everyone. "Fire is so much more than power and rage." He said, smiling up at everyone. "I understand now, the truth behind firebending; it grants warmth and light, like the sun. Did you guys realize this?" Zuko was becoming excited now, his revelation still coursing through him.

"Well, we _are_ called the Sun Warriors," the chief said with a small laugh.

"I get it now, too," Aang said thoughtfully. "There is so much more to firebending than what I've seen because of the war. It's so much deeper than that," he said, and as he spoke, he copied Zuko's stance and bent a confident blast of fire. He smiled triumphantly and looked to his friends. Raya smiled happily for him and hugged him.

"You did it," she said, pulling away from him with a proud smile.

"Shaw touched you," the chief said as Raya spoke for the first time since descending from the platform. "He saw something in you of great worth," the chief observed. Raya looked down at her hands once again, and pulled the feeling of fire from within her lungs. She took a deep breath, and as she exhaled, pushed her open hand out into the air, palm up. Emerald flames erupted from her fingertips and painted the air in hues of green.

She looked at the colors, shocked, and turned toward her friends. Aang and Zuko were watching her with wonder as she brought her hands back down to rest beside her.

"Wow," Aang marveled.

"I've only ever seen regular fire, and Azula's blue fire," Zuko commented, looking intrigued.

"A gift from a dragon must not be taken lightly. It is a great responsibility," the chief said sternly. "But the Demitar knows a lot about that, I'm sure," the chief said, referring to the responsibility of being the Demitar as he smiled kindly at her. She nodded in agreement and smiled to them all.

"Thank you, for allowing us to see the masters. Their secret is safe with us," Raya promised. "When Zuko told me that my dragon was the last, I felt . . . devastated. But now I knew there is hope. They still live." Unsolicited tears blurred her vision as the relief she felt consumed her. She felt Aang wrap her in a gentle hug, and Zuko's hand came to rest reassuringly on her shoulder.

"Your dragon is very fortunate to have a companion such as yourself," the chief observed.

"I feel like it's the other way around," she said thoughtfully, wondering what her life would have been without him.

The journey home took less time than the trio had expected, and when they touched down onto the temple stone, Raya leapt from the saddle with a great air burst beneath herself. She landed directly on Rai Jin's face, hugging the great white dragon tightly. He rumbled appreciatively and smoke wafted around the Demitar's body.

"Missed you, buddy," she muttered into his face. "Look what I learned!" she said suddenly, leaping back a few paces to give herself some room. She bent out several emerald blasts, filling the air with green light. The dragon watched in silence, content.

"Well, that's new," Katara said, coming to welcome them back.

"And I can do this!" Aang said excitedly, bending brilliant bursts of fire. Katara smiled supportively as she watched him.

"Great, so you're a jerk bender now too," Sokka said sarcastically. Raya and Zuko both scowled at the water tribe boy, but Aang's spirits could not be dampened.

"We also learned this!" Aang said, grabbing Zuko's arm and dragging him into the center of the platform where everyone could see. Zuko sighed, but agreed. They went smoothly through all of the movements, and once they'd finished, Raya and Katara applauded lightly.

"So you went all that way to learn some fancy dance moves?" Sokka jibed.

"No! It's an ancient technique that's thousands of years old!" Zuko argued.

"What's it called again?" Sokka asked, one eyebrow raised.

"The . . . dancing dragon . . ." Zuko said slowly as laughter bubbled up around him.


	6. Chapter VI: The Bridge

**[A/N: This chapter just came so quickly and easily; I really can't wait until Sunday to post it. Cheers.]**

 **Chapter VI: The Bridge**

A fire was crackling steadily in the middle of the circle the group had made around it. Raya sat with her legs folded comfortably next to Aang and watched, along with the rest of them, Zuko pouring several cups of tea. She sighed lightly in contentment. Things had been very peaceful amongst the group since Aang, Zuko, and the Demitar's return from the Sun Warrior civilization. The daily routine had become mostly training; fire when she was with Aang, and then her own drills to rebuild muscle tone and strength.

"No one makes tea like Uncle, but hopefully it's still pretty good," Zuko apologized as he began to move around the group, offering each individual a steaming cup. They all accepted gratefully and as he knelt by the boy she had come to know as Haru – an earth bender – he said, "Would you guys like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?"

A chorus of 'sure' rang through the air as everyone looked toward him expectantly. He smiled and then looked a bit befuddled.

"Well, I don't remember how it starts, but the end goes, 'leaf me alone, I'm bushed!'", Zuko said, looking around at the lackluster reactions. "It's better when Uncle tells it . . ."

"Maybe, that's because he remembers the whole thing," Katara remarked, though there didn't seem to be any malice in her words. She accepted her cup with a nod of thanks as he passed by her and Aang took two cups, handing the second to Raya.

"Thanks," She said, smiling as she inhaled the pleasant aroma of the tea. Taking a sip, she let the liquid sit in her mouth for a moment to taste, then let it wash down. If she were being honest with herself, it was actually quite nice.

"I'd like to meet your Uncle someday," Raya said. Zuko paused and looked at her with subtle joy.

"I think he would be honored to know you," he replied, kneeling down finally to give Sokka the second to last cup. She noticed that Sokka had looked more distracted than usual, and his witty comments were not nearly as frequent as they usually were. She was too far away to hear the words exchanged between them, but couldn't help but wonder what was eating at Sokka badly enough that he would request a private audience with Zuko.

The two left the circle non-chalantly and no one else in the group seemed overly concerned about it. Raya turned her attention to everyone left in the circle, trying keep herself from wondering about the business the two had together.

"It's really nice to relax like this," Toph commented to no one in particular as she leaned back on one hand and continued to enjoy her tea with the other.

"Yeah, it feels like we never stop moving," Katara commented.

"How do you think I feel? I practice three elements a day!" Aang said with mock self-pity and everyone laughed lightly at the air nomad.

"You get to spend the day with some of the greatest benders I've ever known; sounds like a tragedy," Haru joked.

"I don't know about 'greatest'," Raya said modestly.

"Speak for yourself," Toph said to no one's surprise. As everyone continued to joke and banter, the Fire Prince and water tribe boy made their way back into the circle. Zuko sat down beside Raya holding his cup of tea. He reheated it a bit with fire bending before taking a sip. Raya hadn't noticed she'd been watching him expectantly, and when he looked over to her she smiled awkwardly. He returned the smile, but she could see the turmoil of preoccupation behind his eyes.

She wanted to ask, but knew that it wasn't her place to pry into his business with others. Sokka looked a bit less reserved, but he too held something in his gaze that told Raya there was something both of them were keeping to themselves. Knowing that it would do her no good to dwell on something she couldn't control, she focused on finishing her tea.

"It's really good," She mentioned to break Zuko's silence.

"You won't be saying that after you've had Uncle's tea," he said, shaking his head with a grin.

"I look forward to it," she smiled, drinking the last of the liquid remaining in her cup.

X

 _"There, see how much more fun it is to play together?" A tall elegant woman said, handing a wooden dinosaur toy to a young girl with silk white hair. She inspected it curious amber eyes and smiled gleefully._

 _"Girls can't play dinosaurs!" an irritated young boy with the same startlingly white hair said._

 _"Yes, they can!" the girl protested. "Girls can do anything boys can!"_

 _"No, they can't Raya!" he argued heatedly, trying to reclaim the toy._

 _"Kulo! I've had just about enough!" the woman chastised. Her soft oval face hardened into a stern mask. Kulo scowled at Raya and stopped trying to liberate his toy –one of many- from her grasp. "Your sister is only trying to play with you," she said, her face softening now. She often found it difficult to say mad at either of her children for long._

 _"Ahma? I'm sorry to intrude, but there's a man at the door asking for you; he claims to be sent from the palace." The house keeper waited in the doorway patiently for her mistress's response._

 _"Oh," she said, her face becoming pale suddenly as she looked over to the house keeper. "See him in, please. I'll be along shortly," she instructed._

 _"Of course," the house keeper obliged as she retreated from the door way to her task._

 _"Behave, please," Ahma said finally to her children after a few moments of silence. She patted each of their heads affectionately before she took her leave. The moment Ahma's slender figure disappeared around the doorway, Kulo seized his opportunity to yank the dinosaur roughly from Raya's hands. The tears of childhood injustice slid down her round cheeks and she rubbed her eye angrily._

 _"Why are you so mean, Kulo?" she demanded, wondering whether she should bother to try wrestling the toy away._

 _"Girls don't play with dinosaurs. They play with dollies," Kulo stated simply as he sat on the ground, forcing his other dinosaurs into imaginary duals. He pushed them together roughly while making small growling noises with his throat._

 _"Mom said you have to share," she reminded him._

 _"Mom is dumb," Kulo said, turning his back to her._

 _"She is not!" Raya said angrily. "I'm telling her you said that!" She dashed for the door and heard her brother's wooden dinosaurs clatter across the ground as he gave chase. The hall way she ran along was decorated with a few family pictures, one of which contained her father. She hadn't seen him since Kulo was born. He was a naval officer for Lord Sozin's fleet of war ships, and spent a great deal of time at sea as such._

 _The large sitting room was occupied by Raya's mother and a pudgy grey haired man. He was sitting very straight on the edge of a chair that faced Ahma. The air in the room was tense and as Raya burst in, it seemed like she brought with her a bit of life._

 _"My daughter," Ahma said in apology as she stood to escort the young Raya from the room. The man watched Raya with dark eyes and she looked at her mother for comfort. Ahma led her daughter into the hallway and knelt for a moment, pushing back some of her silken hair from her face. "Go play, darling." She smiled and stood then, returning to the tense atmosphere of the room._

 _She wanted to rush back in, but heeded her mother's command. Something about the way the man watched her made Raya feel sick and she forgot entirely about what had made her seek her mother out in the first place._

 _"Tattle," her brother's voice came from behind, and she assumed he probably had a nasty look on his face._

 _"It's 'tattle tell'," she corrected. "And I didn't." She continued to stare at the door through which her mother had disappeared and wondered what the man had to discuss with her. Even though her mother had smiled, there was a look behind it that made her feel uneasy._

 _"What's wrong with you?" Kulo asked._

 _"What do you think they're talking about?"_

 _"Dunno," he said, peering at the door as well. "Let's find out." He walked up to the edge of the door way, just out of sight of those within, and listened intently._

 _"Kulo! You can't! Mom would be mad," Raya said, though she was no less tempted to do the same._

 _"She won't know if you don't_ tell _her," Kulo said, glaring. "Come on. 'Fraidy-cat." She huffed at his taunt, but moved closer to the door all the same. The conversation within began to meet her ears softly:_

 _"I'm not sure what you're asking."_

 _"The girl will be an idol of the people. She must begin training and grooming, to fulfill her duties to her country."_

 _"That's insane! She's barely halfway to fourteen. We're supposed to have until then."_

 _"The Fire Lord has made his wishes very clear, Ahma."_

 _"You're asking me to give you my only daughter, a_ child _, away as though it is my sole duty."_

 _"It is your duty; to your Fire Lord."_

 _"I can't," there seemed to be a waver in her voice._

 _"You must."_

 _Raya backed away from the door quickly and looked at her brother with shock and confusion written all over her face. Her brother looked just as confused as she was, but before they could exchange any words at all Raya was running as far from the room as she could. The only thing her young mind could conjure was for her to hide._

 _The fire oak in the back yard had begun to change color as summer faded into autumn. The air outside was still comfortable, but cold nights had been driving the leaves to their change. Varying hues of red and orange were littered across the ground as some of the leaves had already detached from the branches high above. A canary-jay sung somewhere high in the tree top, commanding the world below as his audience._

 _Raya perched against the side of the tree that faced the garden, away from the house, and tucked her knees under her chin. She stared at the ground, willing her mind to quiet._

 _"There you are," her mother's voice drifted over her. She wanted to be angry, but she couldn't turn away from the comforting voice. She looked up, and Ahma's prepared smile completely melted, leaving behind only sadness. "Come here, my love," she said, sitting gently next to Raya and holding her close._

 _"I don't want to go away," Raya said finally._

 _"I know. I don't want you to go, either," Ahma said. "But we will visit you every day, your brother and I."_

 _"Kulo won't visit . . ." she said, making a face._

 _"He will," she insisted. "And it will be like you never left. That's how much we'll see you." Ahma smiled gently down at Raya, and after a lot of patience, she smiled in return. Ahma pulled her daughter closer and Raya snuggled into her mother's side as she began to sing one of Raya's favorite lullaby's softly._

 _Leaves from the vine,_

 _Falling so slow . . ._

 _Like fragile tiny shells,_

 _Drifting in the foam_ . . .

X

Raya woke with a crick in her neck and her face dampened by a cold sweat. She rubbed her face with her hands, and instead of groggy felt wide awake. She sat up and rested her elbows on her raised knees, looking out over the sleeping forms of the others. As she wondered why her mind continued to regurgitate painful memories of her past, she realized that two of the sleeping sacks were gone, and so were the people that belonged in them.

She stood quietly and walked to the edge of the large room they had been using as a dining hall slash sleeping quarters and observed that the sun had just barely begun it's ascent into the sky. There weren't even colors painting the horizon yet. Looking toward Rai Jin, Appa, and Momo, she spotted Zuko and Sokka arguing via whisper over the contents of a piece of parchment they held between themselves.

"That's not believable," Zuko hissed under his breath.

"Are you kidding? That's so believable; I'm the meat guy!" Sokka whisper shouted. Just as he finished making his point to Zuko, the paper was slipped easily from their hands and Raya twisted it around so that she could read it clearly.

"Need meat, gone fishing, be back in a few days, Sokka and Zuko." Raya lowered the paper and looked at them both deadpan. "Nope, that's pretty much Sokka," she said.

"Raya!" they both said in unison as she lowered the parchment and looked at them expectantly.

"Uh, yeah, just fishing. Really," Sokka said, reaching for the paper.

"She's not buyin' it," Zuko said.

"Not even a little bit?" Sokka said with a dumb smile and raised brows.

"None," she said. "Where are you really going?" She looked from Sokka to Zuko and her eyes lingered on the latter. She always found herself pause when their eyes met. His scar always caused her to think of damaging parts of her own past, but luckily for her they were much more easily hidden. His mistake was constantly laid bare for the world to recognize.

"The boiling rock," Zuko finally said, looking away from her. She tried to play it off as she had not just held unnecessarily prolonged eye contact with the Fire Prince, and her brow creased in fury.

"What!?" she whisper shouted, moving her eyes from one to the other, waiting for a proper explanation.

"Gee Zuko, why don't you just invite her along," Sokka scowled.

"Sorry," he said with a shrug, though he didn't sound remotely repentant.

"Okay, yes, we're going to the boiling rock. It's where they may be taking my dad. I need to do whatever I can to save him."

"You're going to the highest security prison in the Fire Nation on an 'if'?" Raya asked, her anger morphing into concern.

"I have to do this, Raya," Sokka said, snatching the note from her hand and tucking it into Momo's gangly lemur arms. The creature didn't stir at all and simply continued to breathe evenly. "If you care about my sister's sanity, you'll let them find this note, and pretend you have no idea we are going anywhere but fishing."

"Zuko," Raya said, turning now to the Fire Prince, hoping he at least would see reason. "You can't. You'll be one of the most wanted people in the nation; you're going to just waltz right into prison? Save them all the trouble of hunting you down?" she spoke quickly. She realized how emotional she was becoming over this, but couldn't find the ambition to calm herself.

"He doesn't stand a chance without me," Zuko said, but she could see the flicker of understanding in his eyes. Raya knew he understood the massive risk he was taking, and there was nothing she would be able to say or do in order to stop him. She sighed and looked at the ground for a moment, accepting that fact. She gave Sokka a brooding look before she turned her eyes to Zuko. He was looking off to his right slightly with a fixed expression. Her heart gave a painful thud as she considered the possibility of never seeing him again if things went poorly.

"Three days," she said, looking sternly at Sokka before she wrapped her arms - growing stronger by the day - around Zuko. Sokka looked almost as surprised as Zuko. She expected the Fire Prince to stand there awkwardly without hugging her back, but to her great surprise she felt his arms embrace her briefly in return. She pulled away and smiled weakly, stepping back to give them leave.

"See ya," Zuko said coarsely, walking past Sokka. Sokka just stared as he walked past and smiled languidly, pointing after Zuko.

"Well, uh, yeah, better catch up with him," Sokka said awkwardly as he walked after the Fire Prince.

Sokka caught up with Zuko easily and once they were out of ear-shot Sokka gave the Fire Prince a wolfish grin.

"Zuko and the Demitar, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zuko replied impassively.

"What? Did you miss the part where she just hugged you back there? No love for Sokka, though," he joked.

"She only likes me because I saved her life," Zuko said, trying to ignore the water tribe boy's jibes. "My father and sister locked her in a prison cell to die. I'm probably nothing but a constant reminder of how much her own nation has betrayed her." If Zuko were being honest with himself, though, he knew that the feelings he had begun to develop for her as he visited her in prison more and more frequently only grew now that they traveled together. Every day that they taught Aang fire bending together, he felt himself soften towards her more. She continuously encouraged him, gently pushing him to achieve more; something only his uncle had ever done for him. And she always seemed to be on his side, especially when Katara was being particularly hateful.

At the thought of Iroh, Zuko felt his chest tighten with grief. Uncle was his second stop after he had escorted Raya safely to Rai Jin, but he was already long gone. The wild eyed look the guard gave him as he described his uncle's escape had made the Fire Prince pause with disbelief. Uncle was gone, and Zuko had no idea where to find him again.

"Or maybe you're a constant reminder that there's hope for the future of her own nation," Sokka shrugged.

X

Raya returned to her sleeping roll, the worry in her chest becoming heavy. She lay face down, with her face in her hands, trying to block it out. She'd have to keep a straight head if she were going to keep Sokka and Zuko's secret for the next three days. Or less. She found herself repeating the 'or less' part a lot. Then, as the sun peaked over the ridge of the crevasse, shedding pink and gold light on the out crop, Raya realized she knew how to quiet her mind.

As she pushed herself off her sleeping mat, she heard a stirring from across the room. Aang was pushing himself up off his stomach, a position in which he seemed to enjoy sleeping often, and looked around the room. He appeared as though he'd been having an uncomfortable dream and looked across the room to Raya, giving her a wave.

"Good morning Sifu," he said as he got the rest of the way up, using a small burst of air to propel himself.

"Not the Sifu thing again," she said, waving the words away.

"Okay, okay," he said, smiling playfully. He knew that she wasn't interested in being looked upon as his master. That was especially so because he was the Avatar, and she would always be his counterpart; never greater than himself.

Raya took note of the bags under his eyes and the look he held on his face that morning as they crossed the sky bridge to one of their usual meditation spots.

"Rough night?" she observed, gesturing to his eyes.

"Oh, not really. It was just . . . I had the strangest dream, but it wasn't really a dream. It was like a memory, and all these feelings. But I hardly remember it."

"I see," she said. She found it odd but supposed there had been times she had experienced this herself. The dream goes unremembered but the feelings that went with it remain fresh in the mind long after. They sat and settled in for their session, and as Raya began to clear her mind, she felt the melancholy of her dream returning to her. She tried to squeeze it down, and out of existence but it remained there and soon she found herself dwelling on it. This made the melancholy grow, and she felt it fill up her chest. This wasn't what she had in mind when she wanted meditation, but at least she was no longer thinking about Zuko and Sokka endangering their lives at the boiling rock.

"What's that song?" Aang asked out of nowhere. His eyes still closed.

"What song?" Raya asked, confused, but she too remained in the meditative position.

"The one you're singing."

"I'm not singing," she murmured, and tried to find her center again.

"Oh, sorry, I thought I heard . . ." Aang said, his words trailing off. As Raya found herself lost in the melancholy again, Aang stopped meditating and looked at her hard. "There it is again. Why are you singing?"

"I'm not," Raya said patiently as she opened her eyes and looked at him with her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I hear it though . . . It's _Leaves from the vine, falling so slow-"_ Raya gasped as she listened to him repeat the lines from her mother's lullaby.

"It's been stuck in my head all morning," Raya said slowly.

"Are you saying I heard your mind?" Aang asked.

"I think so," Raya said, feeling both excited and self-conscious.

"You dreamed about it," Aang said suddenly.

"I did . . ." Raya confirmed, watching him carefully.

"I think . . . I think I dreamed your dream," Aang said. "I don't know if that even makes sense."

"Have you seen or heard anything else?"

"I don't think so," he said. "Maybe this is a sign that our bond is finally strengthening enough to communicate!"

"Maybe . . . But I haven't heard you yet."

"Good point. Here, let me try something," he said returning to a meditative state. She followed his lead and in a few moments she began to see flickers of a monk and his young pupil tossing cakes over the side of a low wall. There was a lot of joy mingled with sadness in the image; she could feel what Aang felt.

"Whoa." Raya's eyes snapped open. "How'd you do that so easily?"

"You established a path to my mind, I just tried to follow it back to you. Did you see it?"

"Monk . . . Giatso?" she said, pulling his name from Aang's memory.

"Yeah, he was my guardian. He taught me so much . . . and he loved to have fun," Aang said thoughtfully as he became lost in his memory.

"You were sad, too, though," Raya pointed out.

"Oh, yeah. They told me I was the avatar, but the thing is; I never wanted to be." He hugged his knees and looked across the space that separated them.

"I know that feeling . . . If I weren't the Demitar, I could have grown up with my mom and brother."

"You didn't?"

"No. Fire Lord Sozin took me away from them when I was seven. I had to begin my grooming and training to fulfill my role as the Demitar. Knowing what I know now, I think it was his attempt to get me to help him with his war. Didn't matter in the end anyways, I guess: I was frozen in time for a hundred years." She chuckled a little at Sozin's wasted efforts.

"That's my fault," Aang said at the mention of being frozen.

"Don't look at it that way," Raya said.

"I'm sorry you were taken from your family," he offered.

"It's okay. It was really hard at first, but . . . I don't know. It's shaped me into the person I am. I'm strong, and independent. And I have a purpose," she said, nudging his leg playfully. Aang laughed and relaxed as he looked toward camp.

"Katara is probably waiting for us by now. I wonder if she got their note," Aang pondered as he stood. Raya shrugged and felt the nagging feeling of Zuko and Sokka come back to her. As they made their way back to camp Aang paused and she did the same.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I was just wondering. . . Your dream last night; that was the last time you were with your mother and brother wasn't it?"

"It was," Raya confirmed solemnly as she continued on down the bridge to camp.

X

The next two days passed in monotony. Wake up, meditate, practice their elements, and continue to build the spiritual bridge between themselves; not to mention her strength training routines. Raya pushed herself to exhaustion and by the end of each day, she slept so soundly that she didn't have the capacity to dream. She was also glad for the deep sleep because it kept her from worrying about Zuko and Sokka.

However, the third day crept to its end quickly. Raya sat at the edge of the outcrop with Rai Jin and waited, her hand resting easily on his side. He nudged her as he felt the stressful waves pouring off of her and she gave him reassuring pats. The sun was gone from the sky, and there was nothing to be seen but dark sky dappled with starlight. It was then that Raya observed a dark object that would briefly obscure the light, and it was moving closer.

She stood up quickly and stared hard out into the night. Wanting to shed more light out into the pitch black of the crevasse she held her hand out and let a medium flame bloom in her palm. It was then that she was able to make out that the object was a fire nation air ship. Her heart began to beat rapidly as it came close enough to dock on one of the far edges of the outcrop.

"Aang! Katara! Everyone, come here!" Raya shouted, hoping they would hear her from inside the temple. They did, and all came running at her command, prepared for anything.

"What? What is it?" Katara said hurriedly. Raya simply pointed and as she did a few figures stepped off the carrier.

"Hey, you're back!" Aang said happily.

"Get any good meat," Toph said, and she was serious.

"I got the best meat of all," Sokka said. "The meat of friendship and family." As he spoke, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe came into view, and then Suki, followed by two people the group had never met before.

"Dad!" Katara exclaimed as she ran to embrace him.

"You didn't go fishing," Aang observed, but smiled.

"No, we didn't," Zuko confirmed as he watched the happy encounter. His eyes drifted to Raya then, and she looked consumed with relief. He moved to stand by her, out of the way of the others.

"You shouldn't have lied to us," Katara scolded, but she found it difficult to be truly upset as she hugged her father.

"I had to," Sokka said, and he threw a quick thank you wink at Raya. She gave a subtle nod and glanced at Zuko who was now standing by her side.

"I'm really glad you made it back," she said, turning her eyes ahead and continuing to observe the group.

"Me too," Zuko said. He felt like he should say or do something else, but faltered and deferred to, "So . . . Aangs lessons are going okay?"

"Oh, um, yeah. He's doing great, really. The kid is a natural at practically everything . . . Asked me how to bend green fire the other day though," she chuckled a little. "Told him I wasn't sure I could actually teach him to bend in other colors." She shook her head a little and then turned to look at the Fire Prince. They made brief eye contact and she realized he had been looking her way for a while. He turned his head forward quickly and cleared his throat.

"The green fire, it's, uh – I like it," he fumbled. Raya smiled gently and turned her face toward the ground bashfully.

"Me, too."


	7. Chapter VII: Dragon Fire

**Chapter VII: Dragon Fire**

After a lot of introductions and a few stories exchanged around a nice fire, everyone found themselves laying down for some much needed rest. Raya found that she very much liked her new water tribe companion's father. Hakoda was a natural born leader, and she could tell that he had a strong will. The two fire nation prisoners were a bit odd, and she found herself wondering how they got themselves locked up, though they didn't seem dangerous in any way.

Aang slept against Appa, and Zuko filled the space beside the Demitar that he usually occupied. He was a good distance away from her, but she still found it a nice gesture. She forced herself not to read too much into it, and rolled away from his direction, which left her staring at the back of Katara's head. The last thing she remembered was admiring the full bodied chestnut locks as she let her mind darken into sleep.

It felt like she had just closed he eyes when a large blast erupted near the temple. She shot up like a bolt and looked around. Everyone around her was doing the same and Aang was standing at the edge of the outcrop ushering their animal companions into to temples safety. Fire Nation air ships hovered all through the crevasse and the largest one held a face she thought she recognized, though it was extremely far away.

More bombs flew toward the temple then, and Raya darted to an open part of the outcrop, using an air cushion to deflect one of the two projectiles. The one that made it past the Demitar blasted apart the sky bridge that she and Aang had crossed so many times during their stay there. Raya clenched her fists and noted that Aang had managed to pull the sky bison into the large temple room, but Rai Jin would not budge.

"Come on!" he shouted to her, and she obliged, quickly tugging at the dragons reigns. He gave a growl of protest but followed her. Every step was stubborn, but she finally managed to get him far enough in that Aang could close the massive shutters with a strong air current. She turned to the people around her and saw Toph creating a large tunnel that they were going to use to escape.

Another blast erupted against the shuttered room and Raya grabbed for Rai Jin to steady herself. Large chunks of rock began to fall haphazardly from the ceiling as she regained her balance, and she realized they were coming straight for Katara. Without hesitation, she sent out a large blast of air to push the water bender back. Zuko caught her arm to keep her from falling, but the uninhibited force of Raya's blast sent them both tumbling to the ground.

"Ouch! What are you doing?" she asked angrily as she wrenched her arm away from the Fire Prince.

"Sorry, I was just trying to keep you from falling."

"Well you didn't," she said hotly and ran from him towards the others. More projectiles hit their mark and Raya watched as Aang, and Sokka struggled to get Appa to enter the tunnel Toph had created. The beast was not keen on dark places or anything that had to do with going underground, and she saw the moment Aang knew it was not going to work.

As another blast made contact with the shutters, a large hole was blasted into the room, and Raya raised her hand to shield her face and eyes from debris. As she lowered her arm, and the dust began to clear, she knew what she had to do.

"I'll hold them off while you find a way to get Appa out of here," Raya said as she grabbed the dragon's reigns.

"It's too dangerous!" Aang protested, but she was already mounted upon Rai Jin's massive shoulders.

"I'll help you," Zuko said, climbing up behind her. "I think this is a family visit, anyways."

"It'll be okay Aang. This is what I'm supposed to do: protect you; help you. Besides, Rai Jin is a lot more fire tolerant than a sky bison," Raya said, directing the dragon toward the gaping hole in the wall. He nodded once in reply as Sokka, Toph, and Katara began to devise a way to create an exit for the bison.

Rai Jin leapt through the wall easily and landed on the outcrop. As Raya looked out at the air ships she locked eyes with someone she had wished to never see again.

"Zuzu," Azula said with a mocking tone. "I didn't realize you and the Demitar were a thing. Mai is going to be so hurt." As she spat the last word she launched a blue fire ball toward the dragon. Raya jumped high off his shoulders and over his head, deflecting the blast with a ball of air.

She followed it with an emerald blast of fire, sending Azula off her perch. Before she knew it, Zuko was running past her and toward the ledge. Azula landed gracefully atop an air ship and Raya could see that was what Zuko was aiming to jump for. Azula raised her arms to bend; Zuko wouldn't have time to defend as he jumped.

"Rai Jin!" Raya shouted and in the same moment dragon fire sprayed from his maw towards the Fire Princess. She leapt from the fire's path quickly and sneered at the Demitar.

"Is that the best you can do? Throw a little dragon fire at me? It didn't even land its target!"

"It didn't have to," Zuko said, appearing suddenly at her side. Blasts of red and blue began to erupt around them, filling the air with vibrant color. Raya heard a large crash, and looked to see Appa had finally made it out of the temple. Knowing they would need as much cover as she could give, she mounted the dragon once more, and he leapt easily into the sky.

The cover she provided was barely enough, and Katara was rapidly deflecting fire blasts with her water bending. Suddenly a massive explosion rippled through the air and Raya turned quickly to see a plume of smoke where Azula and Zuko had been standing. As the smoke abated and she could see more clearly she noticed they were no longer atop the air ship, but instead falling rapidly through the air.

Without another moment of hesitation, Raya unstrapped herself from her saddle and dove off the dragons shoulders.

"Catch me!" she shouted into the wind, and Rai Jin began his descent. He was – as she knew he would be – slower because he had more mass to fight the wind with. Raya however was more stream line, and as she pointed her arms and hands bent a current of air behind her to propel her faster. She trusted Rai Jin to catch them, and once she reached Zuko, she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Hang on," she instructed as she began to bend a current of air around them that drastically slowed their descent. Zuko obliged and she felt his strong arms grip her torso. It only took seconds for Rai Jin to pass by them, and Raya reached out, grabbing the dragon's saddle straps. The jerk of their weight suddenly against the dragon made him roar in protest, but once they were all balanced, Zuko pulled himself up quickly to alleviate the Demitar of his weight. He grabbed her hand and began to pull her up into the front of the saddle.

"She's not going to make it," she heard Zuko say from behind her as she situated herself in the saddle. As she turned, she watched Azula free falling and thought he might be right. A large blue flame erupted from her feet then, and she propelled herself to the crevasse wall, using her hair piece as an anchor in the rock face. "Of course she did," Zuko said in disgust.

X

They landed on a grassy expanse and set up a new camp. Raya helped assemble tents in a circle around a camp fire that Zuko and Aang got going. Katara bent water into jugs and sat them around the camp while Toph went to work on re-enforcing the tents with slanted walls of earth. When everything was finally said and done, they settled around the fire with a bit of food and talked.

"Camping; feels like old times," Aang said happily as he watched his friends.

"If you really want it to feel like old times I could . . . chase you around a bit and try to capture you," Zuko joked and everyone laughed. Every except Katara, that is, who looked exceptionally sour since their escape from Azula's wrath.

"Har har," she muttered as she glared into the fire. Zuko frowned and turned his eyes downward. Raya wanted to comfort him, but had no idea what to say.

"To Zuko!" Sokka said suddenly, raising his cup. "Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, that today he'd be our hero." Sokka toasted the Fire Prince and took a sip of his drink. The rest of the group gave a 'here-here' and drank to him.

"Don't forget about Raya. I wouldn't even be here without her. Besides, I don't deserve it," He said, waving a dismissive hand at them.

"You're right. You don't," Katara said finally getting up and leaving the circle.

"What's with her?" Sokka asked.

"I wish I knew," Zuko said as he got up and walked after her.

"What's with him?" Sokka asked and everyone around the fire shrugged. It didn't take long for Katara to reappear and she headed straight for her tent. Raya watched her go and decided that maybe she could help solve her and the Fire Princes' differences. She moved from her place around the fire and followed Katara. As the water bender made to open her tent, Raya stepped up to her.

"Hey," Raya said with a little wave, wondering what kind of mood Katara would give her.

"Hey," Katara said, her voice low and hard. Raya flinched a bit at the hardness but shook it off.

"I was hoping we could talk," Raya offered.

"If you're here to tell me why I should just suddenly love Zuko, you can bestow your infinite wisdom upon someone else." She made to enter her tent again, and Raya placed a patient hand on the water benders arm.

"I'm not here to make you do or feel anything," Raya said with a gentle smile. "I just hoped we could talk about why you are feeling the way you are."

"It's nothing you would understand," Katara said, but she stopped trying to enter the tent.

"Try me."

"Sokka and I lost our mother to the fire nation when I was very little. I know it's been years and I should be over it by now, but . . . I'm just not. And every time I see Zuko in his Fire Nation clothes and that scar on his face I just . . . Feel like I'll never get away from the memory of her loss. We're constantly surrounded by the ones that took her away."

"Zuko didn't take your mother away any more than I did. I know it's hard, but you'll never find peace like this; lumping people into what their nation stands for."

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Katara said, looking irritated that she had allowed herself to share her pain with the Demitar.

"I do understand. Fire Lord Sozin took me from my mother when I was seven and I never saw her again. I lived under strict palace regimen for seven years with no family, no friends, and no loved ones." Raya took a deep breath and regained her train of thought. "What I'm trying to say is, you won't find peace until you make it within yourself."

Katara said nothing and simply looked away from Raya. The Demitar sighed knowing their conversation was officially over, and nodded a good night to the water bender as she walked away. As she walked, face down in thought, she ran headlong into Zuko.

"Ooof!" she said as she tottered backwards a bit.

"Sorry! Gah, I'm sorry," Zuko said, catching her arm to steady her.

"I should have been watching where I was going," they both said in unison. Both Raya and the Fire Prince blushed at this and an awkward silence settled over them.

"Looking for Katara?" Raya finally asked if only to break the silence.

"Oh, uh, yeah . . . I need to talk to her."

"I think she turned in for the night. I tried talking to her, but . . . She seems pretty set on the way she feels."

"How does she feel?"

"Anything that has to do with the Fire Nation is like a reminder of her loss. I just wish she could see . . . We aren't all bad. Everyone's past is laced with mistakes. But we've all suffered." Raya fiddled with some of the cloth around her waist.

"You must hate me, too," Zuko finally said, and with that Raya looked up quickly. She searched his face, trying to understand why he would say this.

"Why would you think that?" She asked, hurt.

"I'm nothing more than a constant reminder to you of how my family tried to end you," he said, looking ashamed.

"I don't think that at all . . ." Raya said, her heart beginning to beat quickly.

"You don't?"

"No. When I see you, I see . . . good. I see that people can choose their own path. And I'm glad," she said, feeling fire in her cheeks. She shifted uncomfortably where she stood and feigned a yawn. "But anyways, I'm bushed. Gonna turn in." She walked passed him and quickly made her way to her tent.

"I'm an idiot," Zuko mumbled under his breath as he watched her go.

X

When Raya woke the next morning, she found a small commotion occurring near Appa. Splashing some water over her face and running her fingers through her hair, she finally approached the group. Aang looked quite discontent and Sokka's arms were folded tightly across his chest.

"So you're just going to take Appa anyway?" Aang accused, irritated.

"Yes," Katara said simply, her voice hard. Zuko was also packing a bag into the bison's saddle and Raya felt her stomach twist.

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes trained on the Fire Prince.

"Zuko is taking Katara to find the man that killed our mother," Sokka said. His eyes were stern, but Raya could see that it all stemmed from concern.

"And what will you do when you find him?" Raya asked suddenly, and she watched as Katara paused to think.

"I don't know . . . Nothing good," she decided, her eyes cold and fierce.

"She needs closure," Zuko chimed in, and Raya was almost surprised he was taking her side so indefinitely. She supposed it had everything to do with him trying to gain her trust and approval. This was as much about him proving his worth to Katara as it was helping her gain 'closure'. And he was going to help her even if it meant she would regret it.

"This isn't about closure at all; it's about revenge," Raya observed, her voice hard.

"So what if it is?" Katara asked, jumping down from the bison's back to meet everyone on level ground.

"Because you're going to regret it. You don't need to hurt this person to right his wrongs. It won't bring your mother back. You're not the person you're letting your pain turn you into." Raya's face softened and Katara's resolve faltered for a brief moment. It was short lived, however, and with everything ready to go, her expression turned hard again.

"I'll keep that in mind," Katara said without bothering to look at Raya before she climbed into the bison's saddle. The Demitar turned her eyes up to Zuko to find him looking back at her apologetically. She searched his face, trying to silently convey her concern. 'Please help her see this isn't the way,' she thought, willing the words to make it to him somehow. The only thing she found in his eyes as a reply was, 'I'm sorry'.

X

"Just breathe through the technique," Raya instructed as Aang failed once again to complete a more advanced move she had shown him. "It took me a while to get this one when I first learned it, but I know you can do it."

"I'm breathing as much as I can," Aang said, and she could hear the mild agitation in his voice. It wasn't like him to get bent out of shape during bending lessons, even when he wasn't getting things right away.

"Try again," she nudged, moving to stand directly in front of him. "And move this arm a little more this way. Head straight, knees bent." She tapped different parts of him respectively as she instructed him on where to improve. He nodded, and there was an intense determination behind his stormy gray eyes. She stepped away from him and with a few movements fire erupted from is open palms. Just as it seemed he had the technique conquered, the jets of flame faltered and the fire bending abated.

"I hate this!" he said suddenly, placing a hand over his arrow and scowling at the dirt.

"This is so unlike you. What's the matter?" Raya asked.

"It's just . . . I can't stop worrying about Katara. It's ruining my focus. I'm trying, I swear I am," Aang said, looking up at Raya apologetically. "You're a great teacher."

"Maybe we're both a little distracted," she admitted.

"You're worried too," Aang observed. "But not about Katara." Raya found Aangs eyes and watched him apologetically. She didn't think he meant the words to be cruel in anyway, or accusatory. They had been together long enough now that she felt she could speak to him openly without fear of misinterpretation or judgement. Their connection was also growing strong enough now that she could allow him to truly feel what kind of emotions lay behind her words.

"I'm worried that Katara will do something she'll regret, but . . ." She trailed off as she tried to find the right way to phrase her response. "I'm more worried that Zuko will have to bare the shame of having helped to accomplish that regret. He just wants her approval so badly. I can see that he feels like he's walking on egg shells around her. I just wish there was another way," Raya said, taking a deep breath and trying to expel the negativity she felt in that moment.

She had thought long and hard about it, and no matter the light in which she tried to view it, it always seemed that Katara was being incredibly unfair to Zuko. She was hurt by him, and it was fair to say that, but she had taken that hurt and twisted it so badly that now, the only way for Zuko to redeem himself was to put them both in compromising positions. She could see the good in Zuko; she felt it. Had even experienced it first hand when he released her from her prison cell. It seemed the universe was bent on making him prove himself to each and every person he had ever crossed paths with.

"I see it, too," Aang agreed, taking in her long silence. Raya continued to look off into the distance, her face a bit crestfallen as her thoughts were consumed by the Fire Prince. "You know what would make you feel better?" Aang piped up suddenly, forcing Raya to give him her attention.

"Hm?" she asked, her eyes inquisitive.

"Showing me a sweet fire bending move!" He looked excited, and knew she wouldn't turn him down on that. Demonstrating impressive moves was always enough to make Aang perk up, and Raya had to admit that she enjoyed the thrill of remembering how strong she truly was; especially in the Avatar's presence.

"Okay," she said reluctantly. "This is probably the best move I know. But stand back some," she warned as she walked a few paces from him herself. Aang obliged and she watched him move toward the large boulder that rested nearby. He sat down and Momo bounded into his lap. The flying lemur never missed an opportunity to be the object of the Avatars affection.

Raya took a few slow, even breaths, and Aang could see small puffs of fire erupting from her mouth with each exhale. She drew her arms up, her hands open and facing each other on either side of her mouth. Then, drawing in a large breath, she twisted her hands so that her palms were facing up – still near her mouth – and let the breath come forth. Emerald fire erupted from her lips, extending several meters, and painted the air. Aang raised his hand to shield his face a bit from the intense heat, and his eyes were wide in awe.

"That. Was. Awesome!" Aang said, punctuating each word with excitement. He had leapt from his seated position and Momo went flying awkwardly onto the ground. The agitated lemur chittered at him and bounded away. "Where did you learn that?" he asked incredulously, already looking forward to learning it himself. Raya smiled and shook her head at the Avatar's enthusiasm.

"I learned it from Rai Jin, actually," Raya said, inclining her head toward the white dragon that was resting several meters away. Aang gave her a 'no way' expression and turned his head toward the dragon.

"Do you think he could teach me?" Aang asked, and he wasn't entirely joking.

"It takes a lot of time together, and a lot of observation. I can just teach it to you myself." Raya tried not to laugh as she pictured Aang following the dragon around, begging him to divulge his fiery secrets.

"Really?!" Aang whooped and leapt unnaturally high for joy. "I mean; thank you, Sifu Raya. I would be honored." He was suddenly calm and bowed low before the Demitar before he felt a sharp flick on his bald head.

"No Sifu," she said, her flicking hand still outstretched as he raised his head to look at her. He had a large grin on his face and she returned it in kind.

X

As the sun set a few days after the departure of Zuko and Katara, Raya spotted the bison coming at them rapidly. She hopped up from where she had been seated with Rai Jin and called to Aang. He came running and she could see the elated smile on his face at the sight of the flying beast. She waved to those aboard with relief, but her hand faltered when she realized that only Zuko was on Appa's back.

"What happened?" Aang asked quickly as he too realized Katara was absent.

"She's fine, but she wanted to be alone. I dropped her off at my family's old vacation home. Don't worry, no one's been there since my family was actually happy," Zuko said, his expression reserved at the mention of his family. "I think you should talk to her. She's been pretty down since we headed back – don't worry; she didn't do it." As Zuko confirmed that she was alright and hadn't gone through with anything she might regret, Raya felt Aangs energy lighten. He climbed up on Appa's back, then looked down expectantly at Raya.

"Come on," he said, and she nodded.

"I'll take Rai Jin."

The three arrived at the old vacation home and Raya took in its splendor. Even though it looked as though it had been abandoned for a great many years, it still held a royal grandeur that time could not erase. They landed on the beach, and Raya spotted Katara sitting on the end of a dock, her feet kicking back and forth gently through the water.

"Katara," Aang said, his voice quick with concern.

"I'm okay Aang," she said quietly. Raya walked up to Aang at Zuko's side.

"Zuko told me what you did; or, didn't do, I guess I should say. I'm proud of you," Aang said, though he was still colored with worry. Katara seemed crestfallen and as she got up, Raya could see the raging storm of thought in her mind.

"The thing is . . . I wanted to. I don't know if I was too weak to do it, or strong enough not to."

"Forgiveness is the first step towards inner peace," Raya said, her eyes soft.

"That's just it though; I don't forgive him. I don't think I ever can," Katara said, her voice and face relaxing a little as she looked towards Zuko. "But I am ready to forgive you." She walked up to Zuko and gave him a tight squeeze. The Fire Prince returned it briefly and Raya could see the relief flooding through him. Raya smiled and the fact that Zuko could now breath more easily meant she could do the same. As Katara and Aang walked away up the dock, Raya fell into step with Zuko, heading in the same direction.

"Thank you for helping her see what she really needed," Raya said.

"Aang was right . . . Violence wasn't the answer."

"It never is," she replied.

"Then I have a question for you," Zuko said, pausing and looking down at Raya with more emotion and concern than she had ever seen from him. It made her heart jump in her chest. "What are you two going to do when you face my father?"

[A/N: I love you guys and I adore your reviews. Raya/Zuko is definitely going to begin making itself known as the story progresses from here. I'm trying to make sure it comes about with good timing, and a natural, non-rushed feel. I hope everyone is still enjoying – Cheers.]

11


	8. Chapter VIII: The Ember Island Players

Chapter VIII: The Ember Island Players

Intense blasts of fire erupted through the courtyard of the old royal vacation home as Raya, Zuko, and Aang ran sets of the techniques he had been learning. It was almost like watching a performance as they punched, dipped, and stepped in unison. Raya's green flame was the only thing that threw off the uniformity.

Katara and Toph sat against the stone steps that connected along the path that led back into the confines of the house. As their set came to a finish, the three released a final breath while they lowered their arms for completion. The three bowed to each other, and as they did, Katara said, "Isn't it weird to hide from the Fire Lord in his own house?"

"I told you, this place has been empty for years," Zuko said, taking a seat on the edge of a fountain that no longer worked. "We haven't come here since my family was actually happy; and that was a long time ago." Raya wiped slick sweat from her brow and made for the top portion of her outfit, which was lying next to Zuko's, draped over the fountain near where he sat. He was also grabbing for his in the same moment, and their hands collided briefly atop the material. Raya jerked her hand away reflexively and a crimson blush spread over her cheeks.

"Sorry," she muttered, pulling her top away from his then, and pulling it over her head. It slipped easily over her strong frame and once again covered the large scar that marred much of her torso. She remembered briefly the commotion that had been made over it before the three had started running drills.

0o0

 _"Time for drills. I need to see how far you're progressing," Zuko said, taking his shirt off over his head and tossing it over the edge of the fountain. Raya tried to avert her eyes so as not to stare at the Fire Prince's chiseled figure. Constantly moving, fighting, and teaching left his body fit and trim. Aang had pulled his shirt off as well, and they looked over at Raya expectantly as though she were nothing more than one of the guys._

 _With a brief moment of hesitation, she slipped her shirt off over her head, revealing her chest wrap, and a thick scar that spread like a star burst over her left side. Everyone present stared as though they had never seen skin before. Raya watched them staring and raised an eyebrow._

 _"What," she said, though she knew exactly what._

 _"What happened?" Aang asked finally, breaking the silence and tension. She looked up and saw that Zuko's hand was absently touching the edge of his own scar as he looked down at hers. She blushed lightly and pushed a hand through some of her white locks._

 _"A fire nation upbringing happened," she said solemnly. Seeing that they were after more than that, though, she guessed she may as well tell the whole story. "I got to choose my dragon when I was nine. Fire Lord Sozin, my firebending master Xai, and a few palace guardsmen along with myself went to the Ga-Wei cliffs; a home for many dragons when they were still around in great numbers. This came before the tradition of hunting them for sport, it would seem._

 _"To choose a dragon, you must find one that will submit to your will. Dragons, like firebenders, are immensely stubborn creatures, unless you find your perfect match. I had no idea what I was doing. I was little, and frightened. The Fire Lord watched as though he was part of an audience. A red dragon caught my eye first. Its scales were like crimson, and its eyes like rubies._

 _"As I approached it, it snarled, and I should have known then to back off, but I couldn't read the situation well. And it was so beautiful. Before I knew what was happening, fire had erupted from its jaws, and I was laying on the ground. Dragon fire is unlike any fire that a human can bend. It's hotter, thicker, and stronger. The burn seared into my flesh and burned long after the fire had stopped. I was sure the Fire Lord was going to let it kill me._

 _"But a young white dragon chased the red dragon away. I called out for help. Over and over. The pain was blinding, but no one moved. I felt a rough nose nuzzle my hand and an odd sensation on my side. Once the pain subsided enough to see, I realized the white dragon was licking my wounds. It seemed gross at the time, but it worked. I turned my head to see the Fire Lord had left already, and my master was looking down on me. It was like Sozin expected me to fail; why else would he have taken me to the cliffs so young."_

 _Zuko looked as though he wanted to apologize, but held his tongue. He knew he couldn't keep blaming himself for his family's wrong doings. Looking at Raya, he held a new respect for her. Her life had been difficult, too, he realized. She could sympathize with him more than anyone how ruthless an upbringing within the Fire Nation palace could be._

 _"That's awful," Katara said, and she looked pained for the Demitar._

 _"It's in the past," Raya said, letting her hands fall and moving to begin their drills. "It took me years to accept it, but I did. It doesn't define me, it's just a part of my body."_

 _0o0_

The image of Zuko's face as he took in her scar was stuck in the forefront of Raya's mind. She could see so clearly the way he commiserated with her in that moment, even though no words were spoken. The way his hand lingered at the edge of his own scar, and the look of understanding in his eyes made Raya want to close the distance between the two and say, 'I know it was hard, I know it's still hard; but we're okay.'

"Hey, guys!" Sokka said as he and Suki came hurriedly into the courtyard. The benders and non-benders assembled themselves around Sokka as he unrolled a large scroll. The contents of the scroll were immediately recognizable. At the top were dramatically over done drawings of Sokka, Katara, and Aang. Underneath was a summary of the advertisement; a play that detailed the journey of the Avatar and his gang.

"Check it out!" Sokka said, holding it proudly for everyone to see. "There's a play about us!"

"We came across it while we were in town," Suki said.

"The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed play-write Pu Wan Tim. He's scoured the globe from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se to gather information on their journey. Brought to you by the Ember Island Players." Sokka said as he read the poster word for word. Raya looked over the posters drawings again and raised a discontent eye brow.

"Ugh, they butchered Love Amongst Dragons every year when my mother took us to see it," Zuko said, recalling his childhood.

"Come on, you don't really want to go see this, do you?" Katara asked her brother.

"Of course I do! This is the wacky kind of time wasting nonsense I've been missing," he confirmed, rolling the poster back up and tucking it under his arm.

"So I guess we're going to the theater,"Aang said.

X

The theater already had a large attendance, and the gang found an open section high above in the balconies. They faced directly toward the stage, and would be out of the way of the larger portions of the crowd during intermissions and while leaving the theater. A large red curtain hung across the stage and the ceiling was dotted with dim lanterns.

They all shuffled into the balcony and began to pick seats. Katara slid down the lower bench first, followed by Zuko, then Raya. Toph, Sokka, and Suki took the upper bench. As Aang entered the balcony, he glanced at the seating arrangement and looked towards Zuko.

"Um, I wanted to sit down there," Aang muttered, trying not to let the whole of the group over hear him. Zuko looked at him with a hint of confusion.

"Just sit by Raya, what's the difference," the Fire Prince said. Aang looked like he was about to protest, but figured there was no point and sat down next to the Demitar looking crestfallen.

"Why are we in the nosebleed section?" Toph protested. "My feet can't see a thing from up here."

"I'll let your feet know what's happening," Katara said with a grin.

"Shhh, it's starting," Sokka whispered excitedly. Raya watched as the curtain drew upward and revealed what was supposed to be the southern seas; filled with chilled water and ice. Upon a boat there was the representation of Sokka and Katara. Raya scrunched her face up at bit at the actors being used to portray the two. 'I guess it's called acting for a reason,' Raya thought absently to herself.

Behind her Sokka was having an excited fit at the site of his and his sister's characters on stage. He jostled Katara's shoulder gently and pointed. Katara smiled back and Raya could see that for the moment they were actually excited about the play. That came to a screeching halt as the first few lines tumbled out of each characters mouth.

Sokka was nothing but an endlessly hungry carnivore, while Katara's character spent most of her line time making hope speeches with tears streaming down her overly made up cheeks. Raya turned to see Katara scowling along with her brother while Aang, Suki, Toph, and Zuko giggled. Things only got worse as the play progressed. But that didn't stop those who weren't being made fun of from laughing at those who were.

It was pretty silly until the part of the play came about that detailed Raya's awakening, her struggle with the Fire Lord and Azula, and finally her imprisonment. She felt her face grow hot at the memory of Azula's blue fire in her face, and her stomach twisted a little. She didn't even concern herself with the fact that her actor had on a wiry white wig and was exaggeratedly thinner than Raya; even after her time in the palace prison. Even though it was over acted and poorly done, the memory still hit her like a hot blade.

"You alright?" She heard the Fire Prince whisper. She turned her head slightly and put on her most convincing smile. It was then that she realized how tense she was, and forced her muscles to decompress.

"Yeah, all good," she said. She wasn't sure if she had been convincing enough because although Zuko nodded and returned his gaze to the play, he looked discontent. She didn't think it could get much worse than that, and soon the plays focus returned to Aang, Sokka, and Katara. Raya even had a hearty laugh at Toph's appearance in the play, as her character was played by a large muscular male. Not surprisingly, though, Toph loved it.

Zuko cringed constantly as he was represented in the play, but never more than when scenes between him and his Uncle Iroh came up. By the time the intermission came along, everyone was dying to get out of their seats. There were a lot of grumbles and Raya could see that everyone was pretty unhappy with most of the things they'd seen so far.

Outside their balcony, they found themselves on a large outdoor balcony that displayed the grey horizon as the sun was already vastly gone from the sky. The dim lights that lit the outer balcony made everything look rather lovely, but the atmosphere was far from it.

"Can you believe that? They made me out to be nothing more than a meat loving idiot," Sokka steamed.

"Haha! I think they got you pegged, Sokka," Suki observed playfully.

"At least they didn't cast you as a woman! I'm nothing like that! And I'm not a woman!" he said in reference to the way the character acted on stage.

"Well, you are a little more in touch with your feminine side," Toph offered.

"Relax Aang. They're not accurate portrayals. I mean, it's not like I'm a cry baby that gives over emotional speeches about hope all the time," Katara said. She looked around to see no one offered her agreement. She glared. "Oh, whatever." The water bender crossed her arms and leaned back against the stairs.

When the play recommenced, Raya watched as Azula began to appear more and more. Her assault on Ba Sing Se was very much drawn out and boring. Raya found herself struggling to pay attention. That problem was solved quickly when a scene detailing Katara and Zuko in the Ba Sing Se catacombs began. Raya sat up straighter and watched closely.

The woman playing Katara was making a lame hope speech, and talking to the Zuko character, when suddenly she began confessing her love for him. Raya felt her stomach catch as she watched the two actors kiss. She wanted to get up suddenly, and leave. She really didn't want to hang around for this part of the play and suddenly her mind was entertaining the idea that Zuko and Katara had had something between them.

'It's just a play,' she reminded herself over and over until she felt Aang get up beside her and walk away. She took that as a good excuse to leave as well and left her seat. Zuko watched her go.

The cool night air was more than welcome after so many hours in the stuffy theater air. She let it wash over herself and took some deep breaths. It feel a lot better outside on the balcony, and she felt her head clearing with the fresh air. When she finally looked up and around herself to take in her surroundings she noticed Aang was headed to a lonesome spot at the very end of the outer balcony.

"Hey," she said gently as she came up to stand beside him. He was leaning against the balcony with the lower half of his face pressed into his folded arms, both of which rested across the railing. He glanced over at her and then back out into the night. "You alright?"

"No, I'm not," he said, his words muffled by his sleeves. "I hate this stupid play." He took his hat off and tossed it on the ground in irritation. She walked over and picked it up, brushing it off and holding it for him. He looked at her apologetically and sighed.

"They're just actors Aang," Raya reminded him. "It's just a play."

"Did it hurt your feelings though?"

"What?"

"Seeing Zuko and Katara kiss like that."

Raya blushed and cleared her throat. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"You like Zuko," Aang stated.

"Well, I – What makes you think that?"

"You think about him a lot during mediation in the morning," Aang said, looking a bit apologetic. "Sorry . . . I'm not sure how to shut the connection off."

"First we couldn't get it on, now we can't shut it off," Raya sighed, her face hot with the knowledge that Aang had been listening in on and feeling what she felt for the Fire Prince. She really wasn't sure what she felt herself, but Aang had confirmed it; she liked him. She felt for him.

"It's okay, I won't tell him. I'd never betray your trust like that," Aang said, and she could feel he meant it deeply. It was the way of the Avatar and Demitar.

"I know," Raya said, looking down over the balcony and continuing. "It did hurt, by the way." Aang looked over at the Demitar and noticed that she was very much lost in the depths of her own mind now. "But I know it's just a play. And besides, I don't think he does, or would, feel the same way about me. I'm just . . . I'm the Demitar; he's the Fire Prince."

"I'm not sure either of those things have anything to do with whether or not you can like someone, and be liked by them in return." She looked down at the wise young monk and a smile crept into the corners of her lips. He looked so young, but the truth was the monk's upbringing had made him very knowledgeable about life and spirituality. He returned her smile and she pulled him into a brief hug.

"Maybe you're right," she mumbled.

"Hey, I was just looking for you guys. Everything okay?" Katara was standing behind them and they turned to acknowledge the water bender. Raya smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. We just got caught up talking about that stupid play," Raya said, smiling reassuringly to the waterbender. Katara nodded in agreement and looked towards the Avatar. He looked hurt, but tried to mask it as he turned back to the balcony. "I'm gonna get back," the Demitar said, leaving the air nomad and waterbender alone. As she walked, she found herself in a frequently more familiar situation.

"Ooof," she huffed as she walked head long into the Fire Prince.

"Sorry! Sorry, ugh," Zuko said, steadying her on her feet as she looked up at him. She took a small step back to make the distance between them more socially acceptable and watched his face carefully. He seemed distraught for more than just walking into her.

"No, it's me. I really need to pay more attention. Some Demitar, huh?" Raya said, shaking her head. She really did need to keep her wits about her more often. What kind of Demitar didn't even watch were she was going under normal circumstances. What was she going to do whenever they fought the Fire Lord? He wouldn't be as kind and forgiving if she ploughed headlong into him.

"I think you're great," Zuko blurted, followed by a crimson blush. "A great Demitar; is what I meant to say. Not that it really matters what I think, I mean, you know how strong you are. But anyways . . ." He shifted his posture a little and tried to collect his thoughts.

"Thanks, haha, really Zuko," she chuckled at how painfully awkward he could be. It was becoming an ever more endearing trait in the otherwise stoic Fire Prince. He took life so seriously, anyone who didn't know him would assume he was devoid of any feeling but serious. The truth was he was a very feeling young man, and Raya could sense it from the first moment he came to visit her in prison. He had a much harder countenance back then, but even so, she sensed his struggle for good.

"I wanted to explain," he said suddenly, crimson blooming on his cheeks once more.

"Hm?" she asked after he offered nothing more.

"The last part of the play is about to start, so I was looking for you," Zuko finally said, and she could see that that was not at all what he had been intending to say. She deflated a little at his lack of confidence but smiled gently.

"Hey! Great Zuko costume! But your scars on the wrong side," a small boy dressed as Aang said as he zoomed past, pretending to airbend.

"The scar's not on the wrong side!" Zuko said heatedly and she watched as he threw is cloak hood over his head in agitation. She repressed the sudden urge to laugh.

"Shall we?" she asked as she fell into step beside him and the two made their way back to their seats. The play was starting up again, and it wasn't long before Zuko and Raya were followed by Katara and Aang, both of which looked mildly upset. Raya could feel the emotions swirling around in Aangs head and worked to block them out. Whatever had transpired between the two had left the Avatar feeling unhappy. She wanted to ask him about it, but refrained as the curtains rose for the final time. Zuko's character disowned his uncle and walked across the stage to join Azula. Raya glanced over to find Zuko with his hand over his face.

It was clear that this was one of the Fire Prince's greatest regrets and Raya wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort him. Before she was aware of herself, she found her hand resting on the hand that wasn't pressed against Zuko's face. He lowered his hand quickly and looked down at her hand on top of his. He didn't pull away like she expected, and she watched him with understanding and concern. She could see the pain of his memories behind his eyes as he turned his head back toward the play. She did the same, her hand still resting on his, and he let it.

The play seemed to come to an end as the Fire Lord was depicted slaying Aang and Raya's characters. She could feel the discontent in her peers and she watched with horror as she realized that soon that could be her and Aang's fate. It was Zuko's turn to comfort her, and although he didn't look at her, she felt his hand squeeze hers gently in an attempt at comfort.

As the group exited the play house and began their walk back home, Raya tried to clear her mind of all that she had been reminded of thanks to the play and walked in step beside Zuko in the midst of their group. The thought of facing the Fire Lord in due time made her feelings for Zuko seem insignificant, and she didn't even try to bother herself with sorting out what their interaction during the end of the play meant.

"That wasn't a good play . . ." Zuko said, and the group agreed in its entirety. "You said it," and "No kidding," was heard from each individual.

"But the effects were decent," Sokka said with a shrug.

9


	9. Chapter IX: Sozin's Comet Part I

Chapter IX: Sozin's Comet Part 1: The Phoenix King

"More ferocious," Zuko instructed as Aang passed between him and the Demitar. Flames were flying from his fists and feet as he tried to do as Zuko instructed, but Raya could see that he was struggling a bit to meet the Fire Prince's expectations. Zuko wanted to see Aang turn into a feral beast of flame, and Raya knew that just wasn't in the young air nomad's nature. "Strike like you're striking through your opponent's heart!" Several more blasts emerged from Aang's hands and feet, but he paused and slumped toward Zuko.

"I'm trying," he complained, as the Fire Prince looked down on him sternly.

"You're doing fine," Raya interjected, trying to keep the peace between the two. Zuko wasn't interested in that, though, and crossed his arms.

"I want to hear you roar like a tiger-dillo," Zuko said sternly.

"Rahh . . ." The small sound emitted from the Avatars chest and three jets of flame came each from his mouth and two extended fists on either side of him. He glanced at Zuko to find a less than impressed facial expression.

"Are you kidding me? I said Roar!" Zuko pressed and Aang, brow furrowing, tried again. The sound and blasts that came from him were tenfold of his previous attempt and Raya actually felt goose bumps forming along her exposed arms. She tucked them around her waist and watched Aang look toward Zuko for approval. He gave a small half smile, and for Zuko, that was a lot.

"Who wants a nice tall glass of cool watermelon juice?" The water bender had joined the others that were lounging on the stairs behind the fire bending lesson, and held in her arms three watermelons with bamboo straws sticking out the top. Raya felt her mouth water at the thought and turned to see Aang had the same idea. He had begun to speed away from their lesson when Zuko grabbed the colar of his robes and held him steadily in place, the monk fighting his grip all the while.

"Hey, your lesson's not over yet," Zuko said with agitation.

"Come on Zuko, he's been fire bending all morning. Let's take a break," She said, using words that indicated all of them should take five and enjoy a drink together.

"Yeah, Zuko, it's okay to relax once in a while." The words came from the Kyoshi warrior who was lounging along the broad steps that lead into the back of the house. She was leaning against Sokka who was sitting less than gracefully beside her, laying back against the stone languidly.

"Fine, if you wanna lounge around like a bunch of snail-sloths all day, then go ahead," Zuko said decidedly, turning away from the group and stalking towards the path that lead into the dense foliage around the house. Raya's brow creased and she made to walk after him, but Aang's gentle hand on her shoulder told her that she should just let him cool off. Or was that his voice in her head?

Their connection had been growing exponentially since their first successful attempt, and now, she swore that she was getting flashes of actual words from the Avatar's mind; not just sensations and feelings. At first, it was almost frightening. To feel the presence of another in and on your mind was such a deviation from the normal sanctuary of one's privacy that she didn't know if she would ever be used to it. But now, after it happening so often, and the gentle nature of the air nomad, she felt it less an invasion and more of a natural occurrence. At times it was even comforting, and their communication didn't have to be shared directly in front of their peers.

"He'll come around," Aang said aloud, and turned to accept his watermelon juice. Katara handed Raya the second one and kept the third for herself. Raya thanked her as she took a refreshing sip of the fruits watery nectar and it left tingles along her spine. The day was growing hot and muggy rather quickly, and she hadn't quite realized it until she felt the presence of the chilled liquid. _Thank the spirits for water benders, and their ability to create ice,_ Raya thought to herself. She saw a small smile appear suddenly on the air benders lips and she figured he must've heard her thoughts.

"Maybe Zuko's right," Sokka said after a moment. He had a watermelon in his hand and his lips were tugging lazily at the bamboo straw. "Laying around the house all day has made us pretty lazy . . . But I know just the thing to change that," he said as he stood slowly and gripped the opening of his outfit. "BEACH PARTY!"

Sokka was right, a day at the beach was exactly what everyone needed, and it didn't take long for them to make their way down to the water front. They were still sans Zuko, but she was determined not to let his foul mood ruin her day; no one else was letting it ruin theirs. She wrenched her top off over her head and felt the salty air caress her exposed skin that was not bound by the simple bindings that wrapped around her chest. She removed her bottoms shortly after and revealed bottom wraps similar to the water tribe girls, though Raya's didn't extend as far down her thighs as the water benders. She let her hair down as well, tucking the crowned prince's ornament into the clothing to keep it safe before she made for the water's edge.

She let her feet sink into the wet sand that was continuously lapped by the tide. Katara was further out, riding a board made of ice. For a moment she envied the water bender, and wondered what it might be like to manipulate the element. Sokka wasn't far off from the Demitar, pulling himself from the salty depths and running up onto the dry sand; ankles and feet adorned with dry sand stuck to the dampness of his wet body. He began to pile and move sand, and she realized he was making something.

"Check out my Appa sand sculpture," Aang said suddenly from her left, and she moved out of the waters touch to make her way over to the air bender. Low and behold he was sitting atop and relatively accurate sky bison, and Raya had to admit she was impressed with his work.

"Not bad baldy, but check this out," Toph said from her right, and she turned to watch the blind bandit in action. Toph took a light stance on the shifting sand, and raised her pale arms so that they were level with her chest, and straight out in front of her. She clenched her fists tightly and suddenly there was Ba Sing Se. There before them was an accurate replica of the entire city; complete with an Earth King and Bosco figurine.

"Wow, nice! You even made a little Earth King and Bosco," Aang observed.

"I've been working on my sand bending," She said, her arms folded smugly. If there was anything in this world that Toph loved, it was being incredible. And she really was one of the most incredible benders Raya had ever encountered.

"If you like sand art you should check this out," Raya said, remembering that she too had a few tricks up her sleeve, so to speak. She watched as Aang and Toph gathered around her, and bent over to pick up half a handful of sand. She pressed the sand between her palms and formed an enclosure around it, leaving a small hole to which she placed her pale pink lips.

With a deep breath through her nose, she blew gently and steadily into the make shift kiln she had created with her hands, and emerald flames licked out of the spaces left between her slender fingers. Aang looked on curiously, and she wasn't exactly sure how much Toph could make out with them being on sand instead of solid land. After a few more solid breaths, she opened her palm to reveal glass in the place of the sand. Aang looked at it in wonder.

"That's awesome," he said, asking with his hands if he could hold it.

"It's pretty hot still, careful," she warned as she let the hot glass lump fall into his hand. He inspected it with admiration and smiled at her. When he handed it to Toph she looked at bit impressed.

"Woah, you turned earth into glass . . ." She said. "You sure you're not secretly some kind of earth bender?"

"Haha! I'm positive," Raya said with a chuckle. Aang laughed as well, until a fire ball struck just behind him. They all turned and looked up at the source of the flame and Raya frowned. Zuko was looking down at the pair from the edge of a small cliff that over looked the beach, and there was a small tendril of smoke coming off of his left fist.

"What the?" Another strike was launched at them and both Aang and Raya dodged quickly. She heard the word 'run' echoing through her mind as Zuko leapt down from the cliff to make chase.

"What are you doing?" She asked with anger and confusion as she dodged yet another blast. She leapt over Aang's Appa sand sculpture and followed the Avatar up into the leafy foliage of the jungle that surround the royal vacation home.

"Teaching you both a lesson," he said as he launched a volley of fire balls at her and the Avatar. She blocked one, and dodged another as she made sure Aang was okay. He was a bit ahead of her and she paused, turning to face their pursuer. She felt a clench in her chest, and knew it was because she was about to fight Zuko.

"Zuko, stop!" She commanded, holding her ground. The prince came to a slight halt but shot another fire ball at her. She didn't budge and blocked it with her own fire; a green-orange swirl of flame abating around her. "I don't want to fight you!"

"You don't have a choice," he said, his voice hard. He came at her and, not wanting to engage in combat with someone she liked so much; not wanting to hurt him, she sent out a large air blast to knock him far enough back that she could catch up with Aang. Zuko tumbled backwards, and as soon as he regained his balance was racing after her and the Avatar again.

Raya found Aang on the roof of the house, and approached him. "Are you okay?" she asked as she jogged up beside him. He had his hands on his knees and his face was written in confusion.

"Yeah, you?" She nodded at his question and he added, "What's gotten into him? What's he doing?" Raya had no time to answer, as the look on Aangs face told her that Zuko was now standing on the other side of the roof and watching them.

"Zuko, please, I don't want to fight you. Stop this before I blow you off this roof," Aang threatened, but both he and Raya knew it was an empty one, and so did the Fire Prince.

"Go ahead and do it," Zuko said as she launched another volley of fire toward the two. Both the Avatar and Demitar leapt backwards off the roof, using air to cushion their landing as they leapt through a broken window of the old house and hid around a corner inside. All was silent for a moment before Zuko blasted his way down through the roof and landed easily in the middle of the room. Raya watched as Aang took a deep breath and sent a dresser sailing towards the Fire Prince.

Using fire, Zuko made the dresser explode into pieces and watched as Aang tugged Raya by the arm down the hall. Zuko ran after them, and making a few sweeping motions sent a tunnel of fire after them, engulfing the hall in flames. Raya's eyes grew wide and her stomach felt like it was full of rocks. Aang pushed her behind him and sucked in a breath.

"Enough!" the Avatar declared as he funneled a gale force amount of air through the hallway, extinguishing the flame and sending the Fire Princes sailing out the newly opened hole in the wall. Raya heard him crash through the thick layers of the jungle bellow and her heart began to beat wildly.

"Zuko!" she yelled, pushing past Aang who looked frustrated with the violence that had taken place. He followed after Raya slowly, and she could see the others coming up from the beach in rapid succession to make sure that everything was okay. Katara was at the lead of the group from the beach, worry and anger written across her tan face.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked sharply as Raya knelt beside the Fire Prince. He was kneeling, trying to get to his feet as he looked up at all of them. He met the concern on Raya's face with a hard stare, and then looked past her to Katara. "You could have hurt Aang and Raya!"

"What's wrong with me?" he asked, fury growing. "What's wrong with all of you? Sozon's comet comes in three days, and you're all laying around having beach parties and drinking watermelon juice!" He was clearly frustrated with them as he threw his hands into the air and watched them all become the faces of guilt. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" he asked, looking from person to person; his eyes resting expectantly on Raya. The Demitar looked up at him solemnly, her guilty expression tugging at his chest and making him more frustrated.

"Well, the thing is . . ." Raya began, but couldn't take the hard stare she was getting from the Fire Prince. She wished it didn't, but it hurt her somehow. Aang was right there to pick up the slack, however, and for that she was grateful.

"The thing is, I'm not ready. I'm barely a decent fire bender," Aang began.

"And to be honest, your earth bending could use a lot of work, too," Toph interjected. Zuko's face began to soften a little, but he was still concerned as he looked at Aang then back to Raya.

"Aang and I have been discussing it a lot and . . . he's just not ready to face Ozai yet. We were going to wait until after the comet," Raya said, finding her words.

"Why didn't anyone tell me this?" Zuko asked. Raya looked to Aang and he glanced back to her.

 _I thought you were gonna tell him?_ The words echoed in each of their minds in unison and they both shrugged into the silence.

"Y'know, this telepathy thing you two have is going to get really annoying someday," Sokka chimed in as he watched their silent communication take place through their facial expressions.

"We should have told you, we're sorry," Aang said finally.

"I'm sorry, too. But you can't wait to face my father. When I was back in the fire nation, he invited me to an important war meeting. When he asked me what we should do about the earth kindgoms hope, Azula said that we should use the comet to burn the earth kingdom to the ground so that a new world could be reborn in fire. The comet . . . It gives fire benders unimaginable power. Aang, Raya, I know you're scared. And I know you're not ready to save the world, but if you don't face my father, and defeat him before the comet comes, there's not going to be a world left to save." Zuko was solemn, his tone grave, and Raya understood the magnitude of the situation. She glanced towards the Avatar, whose face was more distraught than she had ever seen it.

She reached out a comforting hand, and placed it on his shoulder. He looked up at her after a few more moments of horror, as if just suddenly noticing her hand was touching him. She looked into his stormy gray eyes steadily, trying to be the pillar Aang needed.

"I will fight with you until I have no breath left to fight with, Aang. It's okay to be afraid, but you will never be alone," the Demitar said as she pulled the air nomad into a tight hug. He looked as though the slightest breeze would carry him away like a plume of smoke, and she held him as though that would keep him together. He hugged her back immediately and she could feel the anxiety and fear through their connection. It took a lot of self-control to make sure that his feelings didn't overwhelm her; and vice versa.

"I'm with you, too. Team Avatar, remember?" Sokka said, getting in on the hug.

"Me, too," Suki said quickly after.

"We're in this together," Katara said, adding herself to the tangle of arms and bodies. Even Toph found herself getting in on the group hug. "Come on, Zuko. Being part of the group means being part of group hugs," Katara said as she opened an arm in invitation. He hesitated, but finally a small smile found its way to the prince's lips and Raya felt his arm, warm and strong, press into her back as they all hugged.

X

"There's one very important technique you need to know before you face my father," Zuko said to both Aang and Raya as they stood in the court yard together. "How to redirect lightning." A large smile formed on Aangs face and Raya tried not to laugh. She knew there was nothing that got Aang more excited than learning powerful bending techniques.

"Now, if you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You turn your opponent's energy against them," Zuko said as he pointed two fingers outward and let them follow the chi path that lead down to the stomach, and up through the other arm. Then he repeated it in reverse, and then again, and again. Aang and Raya both began to practice the movements with him.

"That's like water bending," Aang said excitedly as he continued the motions.

"Exactly. My uncle invented this technique himself by studying water benders."

"Have you ever had to use it before," Raya inquired, wondering if it worked.

"Once, against my father," Zuko said, his face turning into a mask of remembrance.

"What was it like?" Aang asked.

"Exhilarating. And terrifying. You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over," Zuko said with a serious expression. Aang's demeanor changed slightly from excited to concern.

"Well, I mean, not over-over. There's always Katara and a little spirit water action, am I right?" Aang said, turning to the water bender hopefully. She had been observing them form the steps with Momo on her lap.

"Actually, I used it up after Azula struck you with lightning," she said apologetically.

"Oh," Aang said, shoulders slumping.

"You'll have to take the fire lords life, before he takes yours," Zuko said, his voice grave. Raya could feel the churning that began in Aang as he was once again confronted with taking the Fire Lords life. It was completely out of the question for an air nomad to take the life of anything, or anyone. In their teachings, all life was sacred, and as one who had earned the sacred tattoos, Raya had done her best to abide by the nomad's rules and teachings. She knew that for someone like Aang, someone who had grown up in his entirety in the way of the nomad, it would be pure torture to even consider the idea of relieving the Fire Lord of his life.

"Yeah, I'll just do that," Aang said halfheartedly as he watched Zuko walk away. He glanced down at the ground and then up at Raya, and she knew he would soon be seeking her advice and counsel. As one of the only two air benders, and masters left on the planet, she was his only source of their traditions, knowledge, and ways of life. They had disucussed many things about the nomads since she had found him, but this would be the most difficult discussion yet.

"I'm going to start dinner, I think," Katara said, seeing that Aang needed some one on one time with the Demitar. Raya smiled in her direction with a nod, and Aang waved and smiled. She took her leave, leaving the Demitar and Avatar alone in the stone court yard. Raya walked over to the fountain that no longer ran and sat along the edge, looking down into the basin where water should have been.

"D'you think there's a chance this would run again?" She asked, looking over to Aang who was walking over to join her.

"I don't know. Maybe. If there's still water in the pipes," he said tentatively.

"Is there?" she asked, pressing.

"Katara could-"

"If I recall correctly, Katara isn't the only water bender I've been traveling with," the Demitar said with a quick smile. "Try," she encouraged. The Avatar took a deep breath and leapt up onto the edge of the fountain. He held out his arms at chest level, and his hands were open, palm down. She could see and feel him concentrating as he did so.

"I feel it down there," he said slowly, still pulling at it.

"Bring it up," she urged.

"It's pretty far . . ."

"You can do this." It didn't take another thirty seconds and water was swelling up into the basin of the fountain from the mysterious depths below. She smiled and happily looked at Aang who was admiring his work. She felt the sense of pride coming off of him, and it in turn made her feel proud.

"I've wanted to see water in this fountain since we got here," he said as he sat down at its edge a short distance from Raya. She nodded in agreement. "I never considered the fact that I could bring the water up."

"You can do a lot of things, even if you don't think you can," she said gently.

"If you're suggesting I can take Ozai's life even if I don't think I can, you're wrong," he said sternly, looking at her with hard eyes.

"That's not what I'm saying at all . . . Aang, believe me, I know what you are feeling, and thinking. Literally. But also because I studied with the air nomads, too. I took the vows, earned the sacred tattoos, and follow all of the teachings the best I can in this new world. You're not alone in your inability to take his life," Raya commiserated with the distraught Avatar, and gave him a steady gaze.

"I know . . . I'm sorry I keep snapping at you, this is just really stressful. There has to be another way. I just don't know what that is yet . . ." he said, pensive. She could tell he was struggling with this a lot before he found out they were still going to face the fire lord, but now it was all that consumed his thoughts. 'Could I do it?' Raya thought to herself in that moment.

"I'd never ask you to," Aang said aloud.

"Sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear that," she apologized. "I was just being philosophical."

"It doesn't matter. I know this is my responsibility," Aang said decidedly.

"I'm the Demitar, it's just as much my responsibility," she countered.

"The pillars of the world," he said softly.

"Hm?" she asked, not sure exactly what he'd said.

"I read it in a book once, when we were in the library of Wan Shi Tong. Sokka was looking everywhere for anything he could find on the Fire Nation, so I went off for a bit to look for information on the Avatar and Demitar. There was an entire section in there dedicated to us . . . It was so amazing. But I only ever got a glimpse at the first few pages of the first volume."

"Why?" Raya asked.

"Wan Shi Tong sank the library after he discovered Sokka had lied to him about what he wanted to find there."

"Ah . . . That's unfortunate," she observed, her sudden hope of one day finding the library herself now quelled.

"But what I did read was really inspiring, and one of my favorite parts was: The Avatar and Demitar are the pillars of the two worlds. At the time it seemed like a lot of responsibility, and it still does, but now that I have you – I'm just happier. I still get scared thinking about what I'll have to spend the rest of my life doing, whether I defeat Ozai or not. And if I do, where will my life take me, will I have a normal life with a family?"

"We will defeat him. And I think you can have anything you want in due time," she said, her thoughts wandering to the Fire Prince. Was there a future for them? Would she be able to be there for him and the world, if he even wanted her that way at all? She cast her eyes down into the water and tried to push all of the 'what if's' and self-doubt away from herself.

X

Dinner was as usual, and everyone sat around eating and chatting, except Aang. Even after he and the Demitar had talked, Aang still seemed incredibly distraught, and Raya could feel the waves of anxiety coming off of him. She held her plate, pushing the food around as she watched Aang set his plate aside, not a bite eaten. Before she could move from Zuko's side to sit with the Avatar, Katara joined the group with a medium sized wall scroll in her hand.

"I have a surprise for everyone!" Katara's voice came suddenly from behind them as she walked around to the side of the group. "I was looking for pots and pans in the attic when I found this!" she said excitedly as she let it unroll before them. They saw a drawing of a toddler running through the sands of the Ember Island beaches. "Isn't baby Zuko cute," she cooed as she and the others looked on at the image. Zuko seemed less than please which made Katara frown. "Oh, come on Zuko, lighten up."

"That's not me," Zuko said as he sat his empty plate aside. "It's my father." The group gasped in unison and looked at the small child, knowing he was now on a throne somewhere; an evil ruler.

"But he looks so sweet and innocent," Suki said.

"That sweet and innocent kid grew up to be a monster, and a terrible father," Zuko said, looking away from the image as though it repulsed him.

"But he's still a human being," Aang chimed in for the first time all night from his lonely spot away from the group.

"You're going to defend him?" Zuko asked, incredulous.

"No, I agree with you: Fire Lord Ozai is a terrible person, and the world would probably be a better place without him." Aang stood now and was walking to stand in front of the group, his face hard with thought. "But there's gotta be another way."

"Like what?" Zuko asked skeptically. Raya shot him a hard look and the Fire Prince flinched.

"I dunno . . . Maybe we could get a bunch of glue! And I could use glue bending to stick his arms and legs together, that way he couldn't bend anymore!" Aang said animatedly, and sadly looked as though he were hopeful that that may be an option. No one looked enthusiastic about it.

"Yeah . . . Then you could show him all his baby pictures, and that'll turn him good again," Zuko said sarcastically. Raya scowled at Zuko, and looked over to Aang sympathetically as the rest of the gang giggled.

"Do you really think that'll work?" Aang asked sincerely.

"No!" Zuko said, irritated. Aang huffed with a great heave and his shoulders slumped as he began pacing back and forth in front of the group.

"This goes against everything I've learned from the monks . . ." Aang said, holding his hands out in frustration. "We can't just go around wiping out people we don't like," he said, referring to himself and the Demitar.

"Sure you can, you're the Avatar and Demitar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm sure the universe will forgive you guys," Sokka said with his usual comedic air.

"Urgh! This isn't a joke Sokka!" Aang said, his temper exploding. This was a side of the Avatar Raya had never seen before, and she didn't like it. She could feel every emotion he had swirling through him like a torrent of force, and it knocked the wind from her a little. She placed a slender hand on her chest and took a deep breath. "None of you but Raya understand the position I'm in!"

"Aang, we do understand. It's just," Katara said, trying to calm him.

"Just what Katara? What?" he asked, his fury growing towards them.

"We're just trying to help!" Katara countered.

"Well when you figure out a way for me and Raya to defeat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it!" Aang said, stomping off in a huff. Raya clutched at her chest as she felt his anger dissipate and turn into guilt and sadness. She finally felt her breath coming more normally and worked to block out the connection for the time being.

"Aang, don't walk away from this!" Katara said, making to follow him.

"Don't," Zuko said, and Katara paused. "He needs time to sort it out for himself." Raya wanted to follow as well, and was sure he needed her counsel, but Zuko was right. What Aang really needed at the moment was his own peace of mind.

Raya helped Katara clean up the plates, and everyone turned in without bothering Aang. Raya wanted to, but knew the others would frown on it since they had agreed to give him some solitude to sort things out. She lay wide awake on a bed in one of the many rooms of the royal vacation home and followed the wood grain patterns of the ceiling with her eyes until she felt irritated.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and dressed herself. The moon was full and its light poured down through the window that adorned her room. She didn't care what the others said, she wanted to know Aang was not having a mental break down. It was odd but she couldn't feel him. She brushed off any concern, and thought that he had simply blocked her out, out of anger.

She made her way through the halls and found the balcony where they had meditated many times since their arrival to the royal vacation home. She saw a few burning candles and some offering, but not Avatar. She sat down and tried not to let the panic she felt creeping up consume her just yet. Folding her legs and taking a meditative posture, she reached out to him with her mind.

Nothing. Her heart began to race and she felt the metallic tang of adrenaline in the back of her throat. What was this? Where could he possibly be? Even if he was blocking her out, she would still be able to feel his presence no matter where he was. She felt nothing, though. It was as If he had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Raya tried several more times to reach out to him, but was left with nothing but her own thoughts in the dark. She opened her amber eyes quickly and looked around herself again. His glider was still perched on the railing, and she knew he wouldn't go far without it. That gave her some sense of comfort, but she knew something was still wrong.

Picking herself up off the floor, she did the only thing that made sense to do next.

"Zuko . . ." she said in to the darkness of the room, hoping her would hear her. "Zuko, please, get up."

"Come on, Uncle . . . its Saturday . . ." she heard him reply in his sleep. Her face reddened.

"What?" she asked, loudly.

"Huh? Wh- Raya?" the Fire Prince asked as he tried to get his wits about him. He finally made her out in the doorway and squinted. "What is it?"

"I can't find Aang," she said, pushing aside the fact that he had called her uncle in his sleep. There were much more pressing issues at hand.

"So? He's probably hiding somewhere meditating or sleeping or something." Zuko rolled over and closed his eyes.

"I can't feel him, anymore, either," Raya said, and the panic was edging into her voice. Zuko heard her words, but also heard the tone of her voice changing as she tried to keep her composure. He sat up like a bolt.

"What do you mean?" He asked quickly.

"I mean I can't feel his mind at all. I think he's blocking me, but I should still be able to feel that; I can't feel anything though. Nothing." Raya looked to the Fire Prince for comfort and noticed that the sun was peeking through the window. She must've been trying to reach him with her mind longer than she thought. The weak rays of early morning light revealed Zuko's tousled, slept on hair and his naked chest. She averted her eyes out of politeness, and heard him exit the bed and dress. Before she could decide if it was safe to look again, she felt him at the door.

"Come on, we have to get the others."

X

"What do you mean Aangs gone?" Sokka said as he looked around the balcony.

"I mean I can't feel him anymore," Raya said.

"Well, his glider's still here. And so are Appa and Rai Jin. He's probably somewhere on the island." Sokka deduced as they all turned to follow him out the door. As they made their way to the beach, they noticed Aangs foot prints and promptly went to investigate.

"They lead straight into the water," Katara observed.

"And we're right on the verge of an epic battle," Sokka said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Zuko asked.

"It means Aangs probably on a spirit world journey!" Sokka decided.

"Wouldn't that mean his body would still be here? And Raya's still here too. She could reach him if he were in the spirit world." Zuko was right. Sokka slumped his shoulders and then looked thoughtful again.

"Well, he has to be somewhere on the island then. Let's split up and look," Sokka said, taking Suki's hand. "Toph and Katara, you guys go that way. Raya and Zuko, that way," he said, directing the two toward the other side of the island. Raya nodded and the two fell in step together as they made their way to the end of the island.

The search on foot was getting them nowhere, and Raya finally suggested they hop on Rai Jin to search the beaches and other parts of the island. He agreed, but warned they would have to stay out of sight of those in the town. Raya agreed, and found her dragon waiting patiently for her beside Appa. The sky bison was eating mouthfuls of hay as he blinked at the two fire benders.

Even from the sky their search proved fruitless and Aang was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't long before they spotted the rest of the gang assembling on the steps at the front of the house and Raya directed the large white dragon to land. She was hopeful as the beast hit the dirt, but the looks on everyone's faces told her there was no sign of him.

Raya moved toward the stares with Zuko behind her and they all looked at each other in disappointment.

"I take it we all had the same luck then," Sokka said as he slumped back on the stairs.

"Wait. Did anyone else notice that Momo's missing too?" Toph piped up. Everyone looked around and realized it was true. They were one companion short.

"Oh no!" Sokka said, his voice overwrought with distress. "You know what this means? He finally did it . . . Appa ate MOMO!" Sokka said as he dramatically pried the sky bison's mouth open to peer inside. "Don't worry buddy, I'm comin' for ya!" he said as he climbed over the beasts tongue. In no time flat, Appa spit the water tribe boy out onto the dirt in a bubble of saliva.

"Sokka, Appa didn't eat Momo . . . He's probably with Aang," Katara said, unamused.

"That's just what Appa wants you to think," he said as he slicked the creatures spit off his clothing.

"Enough Sokka," Zuko said suddenly, and Raya could hear the agitation in his voice. He was worried. "We have a real problem here. Sozin's comet is two days away and Aang is nowhere to be found." The group all looked up to him from their place on the stairs as he stood above them on the landing. He shifted uncomfortably. "Why are you all looking at me?"

"Well . . . You are kinda the expert on tracking Aang." Katara said with an apologetic shrug. The Fire Prince realized this was absolutely true and knew exactly who they needed to find in order to find Aang.

"Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we all headed toward the earth kingdom?" Sokka asked form the bison's back. They were all in the air now, Raya upon Rai Jin at the bison's side.

"Just trust me," Zuko said.

X

Raya landed beside Appa in a dank wooded area, and Zuko was waiting for them all to dismount.

"It's this way," he said, and they followed without question. Raya couldn't help but wondered what they were looking for here that held the key to finding Aang. They weren't even near the Fire Nation anymore, and that was most likely Aang's current location. The thought of not knowing where Aang was once again plunged her into a frustrated guilt. She was the Demitar, the one who was supposed to be connected inexorably to the Avatar, and yet she had no idea where he actually was; again.

"Um, and the reason you've brought us to a seedy earth kingdom tavern is what?" She heard Katara ask, and as she looked up she realized they were in fact headed through the door of a tavern. It was dimly lit and smelled vastly of Sake and broken dreams.

"June," Zuko said simply, pointing out what was easily the most cunning and beautiful looking woman in the room. She had a cup of sake in her hand and fought off over five men easily without spilling a single drop. Raya couldn't help but admire the strength and agility she possessed, as well as the beauty. Her slick black hair fell around her back and shoulders like satin, and Raya absently touched her own fine white hair with envy. She'd always wanted lovely dark hair, like her mother. But she'd ended up with thick white locks of snow white hair, like her father.

"She's beautiful," Suki said, saying what almost every one of them was thinking.

"We're here for her mole," Zuko said.

"What? Her skin is flawless," Katara chimed in.

"Not her skin, her sheershew. It's a creature that can sniff out anything and anyone anywhere in the world. It's our one chance at finding him." He stepped away from them and approached the bounty hunter.

16


	10. Chapter X: Sozin's Comet Part II

Chapter X:

Sozin's Comet Part II: The Old Masters

"Hey," Sokka said as recognition blossomed on his face. "I remember her. She helped you attack us." The last part sounded a bit accusatory.

"Yep." Zuko looked almost thoughtful as he spoke. "Back in the good ol' days." Raya rolled her eyes and noticed Katara doing the same. She withheld the small laugh that brought forth and they all followed Zuko up to the June woman. She was sitting back in her chair with an effortless cool about her, sake cup poised in her hand.

"Oh, great; it's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa," June said as she looked at them from the corner of her eye. Zuko brushed it off effortlessly.

"He's my uncle. And he's not here," Zuko said, watching her carefully.

"I see you got yourself a new girlfriend. Things didn't work out with the other one, huh? They're both way too pretty for you," June said thoughtfully as she swirled the liquid in her cup around. Both Raya and Katara tensed and exchanged odd looks. Raya watched as Zuko turned a crimson red and clenched his fists a bit.

"Katara was never my girlfriend," he said heatedly.

"I'm not, I mean, we're not . . ." Raya stammered as June rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I get it, jeez. I was only teasing," she said dismissively as she threw back the liquid in her cup without another thought. "So. What do you want."

"We need your help finding the Avatar," Zuko said, and the words were such déjà vu that he had to take pause.

"Why don't you just ask the Demitar? That's her, right?" June asked quizzically.

"How'd you . . ." Zuko began to ask as June answered before he finished.

"Her face is on a wanted poster in every Fire nation occupied town from here to Yu Dao." June raised an eyebrow as she fully inspected the Demitar. Raya shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"She can't find him. That's the problem; that's why we came to you," Zuko said. Raya became a bit crestfallen at his words. If it wasn't already bad enough that she couldn't find him, it was worse now that it had to be publicized.

"Hm," she said thoughtfully, taking a sip from her cup. "Doesn't sound too fun." Zuko made a disgruntled face and a small growl of frustration sounded from his throat.

"Urgh . . . Does the end of the world sound like fun to you?" he asked with irritation. June raised a perfectly shaped brow at the Fire Prince.

Outside, Appa, Rai Jin, and the shirshu were at a sort of stand-off. The fine hairs of the shirshu's back were fluffed and pointed in irritation, while Appa growled lightly. Rai Jin stood beside Appa and a light growl rolled out of his chest as well. Suddenly, Rai Jin bumped his nose against that of the shirshu, and the mood seemed to lighten immediately. Appa licked the shirshu and all three creatures relaxed simultaneously.

"Nylah . . ." June said as she held out a massive cut of steak for the furry beast. It perked up quickly at the sound of its master's voice, and the smell of the steak. Without hesitation, Nylah bounded over to the bounty hunter and snapped the steak up quickly as it was tossed into the air. "Who's my little mmm, snookum . . ." June cooed to the creature as she rubbed between its ears affectionately. The creatures tongue lashed out in excitement and she clamped her hands over its mouth quickly. "Woah! Careful there. Alright; who's got something with the Avatars scent on it," June said, extending a patient hand.

"We have his staff," Katara said as she tossed it down from Appa's saddle. Raya caught it easily, well-practiced after so much time with her own glider, and handed it over to June. The bounty hunter held the staff out delicately before the nose of the shirshu, and with only a few sniffs, it began to move its snout through the air. It sniffed heavily, and the sound of air passing in and out of its nostrils filled the group with anticipation.

It began moving around the small clearing before the tavern, circling the group, the bison, and the dragon. The shirshu's sniffs began to come more rapidly and it seemed to become desperate as it moved its head from the air to the ground repeatedly. Finally, it slumped down on the ground and with a whine began to paw at its fleshy nose.

"Well . . . what does that mean?" Zuko asked as he crossed his arms.

"Means your friends gone," June said from the ground. She knelt next to the shirshu and rubbed its head gently.

"We know he's gone, that's why we're looking for him," Toph said coarsely.

"No, I mean your friend is gone, gone. He doesn't exist."

"As in . . . Dead?" Raya asked, feeling dread creep up into every part of her nervous system.

"No, not dead. We could find him if he were dead." June continued patting the beasts head for a moment more – it had finally risen to its feet – and then turned to the group with a shrug. "It's a real head scratcher. See ya," she said, making to mount Nylah.

"Helpful. Real helpful," Toph said sarcastically as June settled herself in the saddle of the shirshu.

"Wait! I have another idea," Zuko said, stepping forward to stop the woman from leaving. She looked down at him skeptically but waited. "My uncle is the only other person in the world that could help us defeat the fire lord. Hang on, I have a smell sample," he said as he went to rifle through one of his bags. He returned rather quickly holding an old, particularly smelly, sandal.

"Have you . . . have you been carrying that all this time?" Raya asked, her nose crinkling.

"I think it's kind of sweet," Toph said with a soft smile on her face. Raya shook her head, brow furrowed lightly as she watched the Fire Prince hold the sandal up to the shirshu's nose. It only took a few sniffs before it leapt to the side and began to smell the air rapidly.

"Let's do this," June said, her voice practiced determination. Nylah bounded away into the forest and the group scrambled.

"Hey, wait up!" Zuko called as he ran towards Rai Jin and Appa.

"He'll be faster with three," Raya said as she extended an arm to help the Fire Prince up onto Rai Jin's saddle. He nodded quickly in agreement as he took her arm and pulled himself up behind her. Without another moment wasted, both flying beasts pushed off from the ground and began to follow the shirshu. It was undeniably fast, and Raya was incredibly grateful for Rai Jin's speed in the air.

She wondered how long they would have to keep this pace up as the dragon kept up with the creature on the ground. Rai Jin had a good bit of stamina, she knew that, but she wondered how long Appa would be able to go as quickly as they were traveling now. The bison was massive, and it took a lot of energy to keep that kind of mass in the air. It was the exact reason she had pulled Zuko up onto her saddle.

"Quick thinking back there," she heard in her right ear as though Zuko had just been reading her mind.

"Thanks," she said, fighting the wind to speak. "Excited to see your uncle?"

"Terrified."

"What? Why?" Raya was utterly surprised. The way Zuko talked about his uncle had her under the impression that he really missed Iroh.

"I just . . . I really hurt him. I betrayed him, and I think . . . he probably hates me," Zuko said, and she could hear – even through the winds whipping across their faces – the depth of sadness that accompanied his words. It was enough to pull at her own heart strings and she found herself wishing she could reassure him somehow that that would not be the case. However, she had no idea what his uncle would feel like. She didn't know him, nor did she know the situation or moments that had transpired between them.

"I've heard you speak about what an amazing, wise man he is," she said finally, after a brief moment of thought. "I don't know your uncle, but I know that if he is truly as great as you've said, there is no room for hatred in his heart."

"Spoken like a true Demitar," Zuko observed, his voice lighter, and she could swear she felt his arms tighten ever so slightly around her waist.

X

The day passed by above them and the sun sank low in the sky, spreading its light across the horizon as the shirshu and bounty hunter below finally came to a halt. Raya lowered Rai Jin enough that they could hear what June had to say.

"Nylah's going nuts; your uncle must be close. Good luck," she said as she redirected the shirshu off the scent and it dashed away with a few guttural noises. Raya landed the large white dragon, and Appa landed beside them.

"Ba Sing Se?" Katara said as she slid down the large bison's side and hit the ground gracefully. They had landed right against the wall, but not just any old part of it. In fact, they had landed where a large divide kept the wall from continuing smoothly on. Zuko looked on through the gap in the once great wall, his face all contemplation; anticipation. Once again everyone looked to the Fire Prince for guidance.

"It's been a long trip," he said, taking note of the bags under Raya's eyes, and figuring that he probably looked similarly. "We'll make camp here for now." Raya was thankful for the rest. Between the worry of losing Aang, and the dread of what that meant about how she would face the Fire Lord, the Demitar was exhausted. Without another thought, she curled into her resting dragon's side.

0o0

 _The world around her was tranquil, and she realized that she stood before the Eastern Air Temple. Monk Taozo was standing near the top steps of the main doors to the temple, and he looked pleasantly happy. She felt herself smile gently in his direction, and as she walked toward him, she realized the world was dramatically slower. A man standing behind monk Taozo appeared suddenly, his hand a ball of flame, and it was in that moment that she realized the world was not dramatically slower; she was._

 _Her face contorted into a sense of panic as she watched the stranger slay monk Taozo, and then turn to her with a blank face, remorseless. She began to run, but it was more like an exaggerated walk. Everything around her began to speed past frantically, but she merely crawled through time; stuck. Suddenly the temple was gone, and Zuko stood before her. She reached out to the familiar face, but he rose a violent hand to her, flames flying._

 _She held her hands and arms up to protect herself, still slowly, and when she dared to looked again, it was the face of Aang she saw, standing directly before her. She could reach out to touch him, he was so close, but as she did he began to blow away, fragmented by the winds as though he were made of nothing more than the sand of Ember Island's beaches. She looked on in horror and tried to call out to him, but her throat felt the momentary constriction off her dream, and nothing came forth but low whispers._

 _As he dissipated into the wind, and there was nothing left to be seen but swirling sands and hues of brown, red, and white, she felt the urge to turn around. It was so overwhelming that the tang of adrenaline flooded the back of her throat, and she turned her head as though of someone else's volition. Fire erupted around her, the heat so real and intense that she wanted to scream in pain._

 _Fire Lord Ozai stood before her, and clenched her throat so tightly that she felt her chest heave with effort. The pressure began to build, and she struggled against him as hard as she could, but it wasn't enough, and darkness began to creep into the edges of her vision; her ears flooded with the sound of her own franticly pounding heart._

 _"Raya," she heard faintly in the distance. It wasn't coming from Ozai. It wasn't coming from anywhere, but it sounded like her mother. "Raya . . . Raya . . . Raya!" the last calling of her name a loud, and very real screech._

 _0o0_

"Raya! Up! Get up!" Zuko yelled as he pulled at her arm. Her amber eyes shot open violently, and she stood so quickly that her head was swarmed with a dizzy spell. She stood at the ready, felt the flames of her bending tingling at the end of her limbs; ready to come forth at any moment. Her surroundings were a blur of fiery orange confusion, and as the dizzy spell abated, she realized she was standing in a circle of fire with the rest of her companions.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice frantic as her eyes flicked from side to side. Suddenly, she saw the probable source of the firebending as her eyes fell on four older gentleman. They were clad in very similar attire, and stood high above the group on an outcrop of the fallen portion of the wall. One man in particular, and the oldest looking, stepped forward and gave a small snorting laugh.

"Well, look who it is," he said, another chortle and snort ripping forth. Almost everyone smiled then, and Raya relaxed only slightly. Her friends didn't seem to think they were in danger anymore, and in fact looked glad for the first time in ages. The fire ring was brought down suddenly by a man with a shock of white hair so similar to Raya's that you'd have thought they were distantly related.

The older men joined them on the ground after a moment, and Katara ran up to one of the men with joy. "What's going on," Toph said, her words a mirror of Raya's thoughts. "We're surrounded by old people."

"These aren't just any old people!" Katara said as she approach the first man. "These are great masters." As she spoke, she bowed to him. "Master Paku."

"It is customary for a former student to bow to an old master . . . but how about a hug for your new grandfather," Paku said as he opened his arms with a gentle smile.

"What?" Katara said, hugging him excitedly as Sokka approached. "No way! That's great news!"

"I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything," he said proudly.

"This is aweome!" Sokka said from Katara's side. "We'll call you 'grandpaku'."

"Paku will do just fine," the man said, his face deadpan.

"And this was Aang's first firebending teacher, Master JeongJeong," Katara said as she continued to introduce the men before them. Zuko stepped forth and bowed, as well as Raya.

"Master PianDao," Sokka said as he bowed to the swords master down the line. The man returned the greeting in kind.

"And who do we have here?" The old snorting man was watching Raya intently now, and she gave an awkward half smile.

"Raya," she said with a bow to the King of Omashu.

"The Demitar," he said thoughtfully as his eyes narrowed on her. The rest of the men looked at her with admiration.

"So you've finally come together with the Avatar," Paku observed.

"Wait a second . . ." Bumi said as he looked around at all the faces. "Someone is missing from your group. Someone very important . . . Where's Momo?"

Everyone looked at the king with odd expressions. Some of them weren't even surprised, as he was always an odd sort of fellow. "He's with Aang. That's why we're here. Both of them are missing." Katara gave Raya an apologetic look.

"But the Demitar . . ." JeongJeong said.

"I can't reach him," Raya confirmed softly. Once again her shortcomings were being thrown in her face, and the feeling made her ill. She felt a comforting nudge from Zuko, then, and her spirits lifted, if only slightly.

"That's why we're here. We need your help."

"Wait, how do you all know each other," Suki asked suddenly.

"Don't you know all old people know each other?" Bumi said as he chortled.

"We are all part of a sacred, ancient society that transcends the divisions of the four nations," PianDao said.

"Our order has always been about philosophy, and beauty, and truth," JeongJeong followed.

"The order of the White Lotus," Zuko confirmed with a small smile.

"Yes, and about a month ago, an urgent call went out, from a grand master; your uncle. Iroh of the Fire Nation." Paku finished.

"Well that's who we're looking for!" Toph said excitedly. Zuko suddenly became less excited, and Raya wished he weren't so fearful of reuniting with his uncle.

X

The walk was a bit lengthy, but soon the group was walking into a medium sized camp where other members of the White Lotus were set up. Raya settled Rai Jin with Appa and joined her companions as they followed PianDao and the others into the heart of the camp.

"Where is he?" she heard Zuko ask, his voice almost timid.

"Right in there," the swords master said as he left the group to themselves. Zuko grimaced a little, and paused. Raya watched him carefully, and after a few more moments he slowly walked up to the tent. Once he was standing a few paces away from the entrance, he stopped, and instead of entering, sat down on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Raya asked softly as she knelt beside him.

"No, I'm not okay," he said looking down and away from the Demitar. "My uncle hates me, I know it," Zuko said decidedly.

"Zuko . . . I know he doesn't," she offered.

"How could you know something like that? Just because you are the Demitar doesn't mean you know everything," Zuko said, his tone a bit harsh. Raya flinched at the bite in his tone and he recanted immediately. "I'm sorry . . . I'm just . . . scared."

"It's okay."

"I think I'm just going to sit here for a while; prepare myself."

"May I sit with you?" Raya asked, folding her legs. Zuko merely nodded, and so they sat together in the silence of the evening. The night air was punctuated distinctly with the murmurs of camp activity and she let herself drift in and out of meditation; calling out to Aang every so often.

In time, Zuko stood without a word, and she watched as he entered the tent. She smiled lightly and looked over her shoulder to see what the group was up to. They were all seated around a fire, feeding themselves and speaking to others around the circle.

X

"Uncle, you're the only other person that could possibly help us defeat the Father Lord," Zuko said as Iroh joined them in the circle. Raya bowed her head and then took note of the Fire Princes Freudian slip.

"You mean the Fire Lord," Toph said absently, bowl and chopsticks in hand.

"That's what I just said," Zuko said, brow furrowed.

"No, Prince Zuko," Iroh said suddenly, and everyone looked up.

"What? But uncle."

"It is not my destiny to defeat your father." Iroh looked solemn, his eyes closed in contemplation.

"It's mine," Raya said suddenly, pushing aside her uneaten food and watching the ground. She looked solemn, her shoulders set and leaning slightly forward. After a few gasps, she looked up into Iroh's eyes. "I don't know where Aang is, but I have to believe he is out there somewhere, and that he won't let us down. But until he does return, until he comes back to us . . . It is my responsibility. I will fight Ozai."

"Raya, you can't . . . you can't do this without Aang," Zuko said, and Iroh looked over to his nephew. He acknowledged the sincere concern in his nephew's eyes and was certain that he saw love there. He looked back and forth between the two, and wondered what there was between them.

"I don't have a choice," Raya said in return.

"Fire and Air." Everyone looked at Iroh, momentarily confused. "Power and Freedom. Two elements that are incredibly difficult to reconcile, but you have done it with so much grace, young Demitar." Iroh turned his gaze out to the other young people and watched them all carefully. "Responsibility is not something we choose to take on, it chooses us; some are more burdened with it than others," his eyes flicked from Zuko to Raya as he spoke those words, "But we must not falter, or back away from it – no – we must rise to meet it, without fear or uncertainty."

"Zuko told me you were a very kind, and wise man," Raya said after a few moments. "But I don't think even those words are enough to do you justice. I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you," she said, smiling. Everyone acknowledged that her words meant she was happy to have met him, before her fate was decided by the battle ahead.

"You are a strong woman, and powerful. Even if you weren't the Demitar. But you are, and you can defeat him. You are not alone in this," Iroh said, and as he said it she knew he meant more than just the people that sat around her. There were hundreds of Demitars before her, and she would have them to call upon, if she needed to.

"And then . . . and then would you come take your place on the throne?" Zuko asked.

"No," Iroh said. "It is time for someone new, a young idealist with a good heart and unquestionable honor to take the throne; you, Prince Zuko."

"Me? But I've made so many mistakes," the Fire Prince said, his head down.

"Yes, you have. But you have also learned from those mistakes. You have struggled and fought and lost and pushed through all these years. You are the kind of leader the Fire Nation needs now. Someone who has failed, and become wiser for it." He looked out at all the young ones. "Our destinies are upon us, young ones. Raya, and hopefully Aang, will face the Fire Lord, and when he falls, you must be in the Fire Nation to claim the throne. Be careful, though, Azula will be waiting there."

"I can handle her," Zuko said, his eyes becoming determination.

"You cannot do it alone."

"Katara, would you like to help me put Azula in her place?" Zuko asked, and the water bender smiled her own determination.

"It would be my pleasure," she said.

"What about us? What's our destiny today?" Sokka asked.

"What do you think it is?" Iroh asked, wise.

"I think . . . I think that even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to help Raya, and stop the air ship fleet that is going to begin the attacks." The water tribe boy pushed his fist into his hand, and Raya could see the fighting spirit in his eyes.

"And that means, when Raya faces the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if she needs us," Toph said, punching her fist into her open hand.

X

"The air ship fleet will be launching from a small island, here," PianDao said as he handed Sokka a map, and pointed to a location upon it. Sokka bowed and accepted it.

"Thank you master."

"Now, nothing runs faster on land or water than an eel hound. With Rai Jin and the eel hound you should be there within a day's journey," the sword master said. They bowed to each other before Sokka launched himself into a hug with the man. Raya brought Rai Jin into the opening amongst the tents where everyone stood.

"So, what are you going to do after the wars over?" Raya heard Zuko ask as he stood beside the bison.

"After the war is over, I'm going to reconquer my tea shop; and I'm going to play pi sho every day." The great fire bender flipped his white lotus tile into the air and caught it with joy.

"We'll see you soon Raya. You can do this . . . I know you can. And Aang will come." Katara had stepped up to the Demitar, and she watched as the water tribe girl placed a sincere hand on her shoulder. Raya nodded, and Katara pulled her into a hug.

"Can I talk to you?" she heard from the one person she had yet to say her goodbye's to. Zuko stepped up beside Katara and Raya stepped out of their embrace. Katara waved again, and made her way back to the bison.

"Zuko, I-" She began as Katara was out of ear shot, but he cut her off.

"Raya, I . . . I'm not good at this, and I don't know what I'm doing but . . ." he paused and she could see he was working things out in his head. "When I set you free that day, on the day of the eclipse, it was the first time I decided that you weren't my enemy. I knew that I was doing the right thing. What I didn't realize, was that I needed you more than you needed me."

"What are you saying?" she asked, trying to follow.

"I guess what I'm saying is . . . You think that I'm the one that saved you, but it was you that's been saving me," Zuko said, his face becoming crimson, and yet he held her eyes. This was something he never did. As soon as things became too deep or awkward, Zuko abandoned ship, but this time was much different. He held Raya's eyes, and she could suddenly feel that there were a lot more eyes on the two of them now.

Raya acted so quickly that she wasn't sure what was happening until it was almost over. She wasn't sure if it were the fear, the moment, or the fact that she feared her time on this earth was coming very soon to an end, but she found her hand against Zuko's scarred cheek, and her lips pressed softly against his. He didn't pull away, but she could feel the shock value in his tense lips. She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes steady, and almost sad.

"If I don't return, please take care of Rai Jin for me. He will let you know when he's hungry. Riding him gets easier. I know you'll keep him safe and happy," Raya said as she stepped back, willing herself to push through this moment. She had wanted to ask Zuko this favor for a while. "I know it's a lot to ask, but –"

"You'll come back," he said, hugging her gently. "But I will keep him safe for you," he murmured, easing her mind. "When this is all over, meet me in the western garden of the Fire Palace on the morning of coronation." He stepped back then, and turned toward the bison. Everyone looked away quickly and tried –poorly – to pretend that they had witnessed nothing of the previous moment between the Demitar and Fire Prince.

She took a deep breath and made her way to Rai Jin. The dragon hummed at his favorite person and she patted his side affectionately.

"Ready?" she heard Sokka say from the back of the eel hound.

"As I'll ever be. Goodbye, General Iroh," Raya said as she mounted the dragon.

"Goodbye, Raya. Goodbye everyone. Today, Destiny is on our side; I know it."

12


	11. Chapter XI: Sozin's Comet Part III

Chapter XI: Sozin's Comet Part III:

Into the Inferno

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.

Raya sat atop one of the many great pillars of stone that dappled the mainland as she sat patiently in meditation. Her legs were folded beneath her, and she practiced her breathing as the morning sky fell upon her. Rai Jin was at the shore, hidden for his protection with Sokka and the others eel hound. They were hopefully close to the air ships by now.

And then it happened. Power so immense that it made every inch of her skin tingle as though a flame had been ignited beneath her skin. She breathed deeply, slowly, and with every release of her breath, green flame emitted from her nostrils and a ring of emerald fire surrounded her; rising and falling with her breath. Her eyes opened slowly and she found herself beneath an orange-red sky. The comet had come.

The Demitar stood and looked on at the fleet of air ships that had ascended into the sky across from her. She took a deep breath and let the exhale come through her mouth, a small green flame coming forth and she took a bending stance. As the air ships approached, she could see that the lead ship was far ahead of the others, and it was already spraying the land below in a swath of fire. Fire Lord Ozai.

This was it, the moment had come, and she was ready. She felt the fear and anxiety melt for a moment from her body, and felt instead the immensity of purpose blanket her senses. She was the Demitar; a protector of the four nations. She was the only person that stood now between Fire Lord Ozai and the Earth Kingdom that lay behind her.

With a few swift movements of her arms, she sent out four short emerald blasts that collided with the Fire Lords air ship. It faltered for a moment, but continued to push forward. She noted that the thick flames pouring from the front of the ship had stopped for the moment. Another deep breath. As she released it, she moved her arms up and out, and a powerful jet of green flames tore through the side of the air ship, relieving it of its ability to remain in flight entirely. It swerved to the left and landed atop the many stone pillars.

Her body shook with the intense power coursing through her veins. The comets energy was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life. The fire within her was so incredible it felt as though she might burn up from the inside. Turning her face forward once more, she steadied herself, and noticed that although the ship was out of commission, she was being joined.

Landing on a stone pillar in the not-so-distance, Fire Lord Ozai glared at the Demitar. She didn't waver, and her stare was equally hard. Everything about the Fire Lord was power. From his tall stature to his thick muscular composure. He was confident and she could sense that he was already predicting the outcome of this battle.

"We don't have to fight, Ozai. You have the power to stop what you are doing right now," Raya said, trying to be peaceful first. She didn't think in a hundred years it would be successful, but she knew that the air nomads would have tried; Aang would have tried.

"You're right; I do have the power. I have all the power in the world!" Ozai retorted, throwing his arms out and his face up. As he yelled, jets of intense flame erupted from his clenched fists and open mouth. The heat of it transported Raya back to her most recent dream and she felt herself suddenly gripped with fear. She pushed it away quickly, and tried to maintain her composure.

A jet of flame shot forth from the Fire Lord then, and she flipped backwards onto another stone pillar to avoid it. She heard a disgusted sound coming from the Fire Lord, and as the dust settled, she could see the disgusted look that accompanied it.

"Timid. Weak! All of the air nomads were. You're just like them, with your tattoos and timid nature. Nothing like a fire bender at all!" Ozai shot another blast at the Demitar and she avoided this one too, trying to maintain the distance between them. Ozai followed. "When you had awakened, I was hopeful that the legends weren't true, that you hadn't become like them. But I was sorely mistaken. You were ruined by them! You're no fire bender at all. I should have killed you when I had the chance, so that we could truly be rid of this disgraceful excuse for bending."

Ozai flew, fire flaring from his feet, and rocketed toward Raya. She leapt sideways, but he caught her arm roughly, and threw her off the side of the stone pillar she'd been standing on. She heard her arm crack lightly and cried out in pain. Using a cushion of air she settled herself on the ground, and looked around quickly. Ozai was plummeting toward her, and she jumped back, narrowly avoiding the blast he sent into the earth.

'He's right,' she thought as she leapt up, using her airbending, and began to climb out of the Fire Lords reach using the pillars to jump back and forth. 'I can't approach this like an airbender. It's not working.' She held her arm and knew that there was going to be no way to stop the pain; she had to bend or she would die here.

She could hear him using his fire bending to sail up behind her as she jumped, and with a deep breath, turned and faced him. In midair, she moved her hands up to her mouth, ignoring the pain in her arm, and felt the surge of sozin's comet course through her veins. A spiral blast erupted from her mouth, and emerald flames swallowed the Fire Lord. His eyes were wide with surprise, and he held his arms up to deflect the blast.

Raya ignored the pain in her arm and landed finally at the top of another stone pillar. She watched the space below for signs of the Fire Lord, and jumped back when he came flying forth.

"So there is some fight in you after all," he said, his voice condescending. "Too bad that won't save your life," he said as he moved his arms quickly and sent a jet of flame towards her. She parted it with her hands, and gritted her teeth as her arm sent out waves of nauseating pain. When his blast subsided, she sent out an air blast, and followed it with a double palmed fire blast.

The Fire Lord was blown off balance by the air blast and barely blocked her emerald flames. She could hear him snarl as the smoke cleared and he raced towards her. He wanted to end this, and end it fast. She leapt back and sent out another fire blast, but he, blinded by rage and conviction, was too fast, and sent a blast of flames up into her chest. She was swallowed by heat and flame and could feel herself being consumed by fear.

She twisted, and an air ball coiled outward from her center, taking the fire with it. There wasn't enough air to keep the blast from slamming her into one of the stone pillars and she felt her head hit the rock devastatingly hard. Raya began to fall. Her body felt spent, and she knew that she was losing this fight. With some panicked arm movements she made an air cushion big enough to keep her from slamming into the face of the earth, but she still hit with enough force to cause her to lose her breath.

Face down in the dirt, she could smell singed hair and knew that some of her snow white locks were likely the source. Some stone from her above hit tumbled down over her and she simply let it. She coughed a few times, and put her arms underneath her body to try to support her weight. It was too much, and she felt her arm pop again. She cringed and cried out in pain.

"Pathetic," she heard from above her. Ozai stepped forward, slowly, and she could tell he was savoring this moment. She tried to look up at him, glaring. "The Great Demitar and Avatar. A joke. The Demitar is a weak, wanna-be nomad, and the Avatar doesn't even show up. I can't tell you how much joy I will take in ending this," he said as he lifted his hand, a concentrated flame beginning to form. It was so strong that it gave off sound. "It's over."

The hand began to come down towards her, and she let her head fall back into the dirt; cheek pressing hard against the cool earth. It was over. She felt herself give a small sigh, and wondered why she suddenly felt almost relieved. It made no sense. It was as if a blanket of comfort was being laid over her, only from the inside out. Like her soul was suddenly at peace. . . Her eyes shot open in realization.

"Aang," she whispered into the dirt.

"No, Ozai. It is not over," she heard him say, his voice hard and commanding. The Fire Lord was so caught off guard by the Avatars appearance that the flame faltered and he turned his attention away from Raya. The feel of Aangs presence made Raya feel complete again and she could feel something else swelling there within her.

A blue glow radiated from Aang's eyes and tattoos, and she felt the Demitar spirit consume her. A hundred other voices chorused in her head, and suddenly she was more than herself. She stood, strong and sturdy. The pain was gone from her arm, and the rest of her body as she stood and faced Ozai's shocked expression; eyes and tattoos glowing the same vivid blue as Aangs.

She had been in this state only once before, and that was when she had frozen. Then, she had been afraid; lost. Now, she felt empowered, immovable, and strong. The wisdom of the Avatars and Demitars past coursed through Aang and Raya's connected minds and they felt like a single entity.

 _Are you alright?_

 _Yes. You came back . . ._

 _I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner, Raya. You're hurt._

 _It doesn't matter. You're here now._

 _Let's end this._

Aang flew past the Demitar, and with a quick set of movements sent the Fire Lord sailing backward into a stone pillar. There was an audible crack as the Fire Lord made contact with the stone. There was fresh panic in Ozai's eyes, and Raya reveled in it. She felt her past lives build within her, guiding her. They didn't speak and yet she understood what they were saying; knew what they were doing.

Ozai flew up and away from the two powerful benders, and Raya knew this was it. Aang roared, and fire spewed from his open mouth before it swirled around him. Earth came next, and he formed another ring around himself. Water flowed easily to him from the bay, and another circle was made. Finally a ball of air encased him, and he lifted off the ground. There was a menace in his eyes for the moment that made him look unlike the Aang she had come to know and love.

There was no time for that now, however, and she felt air swirling at her feet, lifting her off the ground. She rose with the air to the height of the pillars, and watched as Ozai made his desperate escape. Aang took off after him, and Raya already knew what she needed to do. She flew quickly forward on her pillar of air and went wide around the Fire Lord.

As he turned to shoot some blasts at Aang, Raya appeared behind him, and he veered off course to avoid colliding with her. He tumbled onto a stone pillar and Aang took advantage of his sprawled position. Moving his arms and hands, he made earth encase Ozai's feet, then his hands. The Fire Lord was laid out before the Avatar, and Raya stood over him as their decree rang out.

"Fire Lord Ozai, you and your fore fathers have devastated the balance of this world. And now, you shall pay the ultimate price." Aang raised his arms and fire, water, earth, and air swirled into a violent point. He moved his arms forward, and the elements of the Avatar's judgment sped towards the Fire Lord. He cringed, and Raya felt the pain within Aang radiate throughout her. He didn't want it to end this way.

 _Aang stop. Stop!_

The four combined elements stopped their beeline for the Fire Lord. Water and rocks rained over him, and he let out a sigh. Aang floated down onto the stone pillar, both his and Raya's glow dissipating. The earth encasing Ozai's arms and legs receded, and he pulled himself up. Aang looked slumped slightly and Raya could feel something within him. Something she had never felt before. She stepped up to him, and he looked at her solemnly.

"I won't end it like this," he said, and Raya nodded.

As Aang spoke, the Fire Lord leapt at them. "Even with all the power in the world, you are still weak!"

Aang raised his back leg and encased the Fire Lords right hand in another earth cuff. He spun and encased the other as Ozai tried to bend a blast from the other hand. Finally he faced Ozai, and blew a large gust of air into his face, to keep the flames emitted from his mouth from going anywhere until his right thumb rested on Ozai's forehead, and his left thumb on Ozai's chest.

They both froze, and Raya gasped. She could suddenly feel Ozai's spirit through Aang. It was dark, and full of powerful rage. Aang fought it for a moment, until Ozai's spirit began to flood into Aang like an undammed channel. She could feel Aang pressing against Ozai, but he was losing. She held her arm in pain, and stumbled forward slightly; without the Demitar spirit, all of the pain she was in came rushing back to her in an overwhelming tidal wave.

Just as the red rage of Ozai's spirit was about to consume the last of Aang, Raya placed her hand firmly against his back. She froze and her eyes flew open, mouth agape. She could feel the red of Ozai creeping up her arm, but her power now combined with Aang's forced the red to retreat almost immediately. The blue of Aang and Raya washed over the Fire Lord completely and it was done.

The blue light subsided, and the Fire Lord fell back against the rock. His body was spent, and he flopped as though he hadn't a drop of energy left in him. He flailed his arm out a bit – a sad attempt to bend – and it landed limply across his chest.

"What have you done to me?" he asked weakly.

"I took away your bending. You will never be able to hurt anyone with it again," Aang said, his voice strong and hard.

"I knew you'd find a way," Raya said, then added, "But how?"

"Actually . . . That's why I disappeared. I wound up on a lion turtles back, and it taught me how to bend energy." Aang was standing at the edge of the stone pillar and with a deep breath raised his arms to bend water up onto the land. His eyes and tattoos flashed, and Raya felt the surge of energy within him as the fires began to extinguish.

"You were . . . on a lion turtles back?" she asked, eye brows furrowed. Aang released the water, and it all flooded back into the ocean and rivers that surrounded them below.

"It's true, ask Momo," Aang said with a boyish smile and a shrug. As if on que, the flying lemur landed happily on the Avatar's shoulder. Raya began to laugh and shake her head, but coughed and began to totter where she stood. "Woah, steady." Aang reached around her waist to support her weight and she was grateful for it.

"Took a little more damage than I thought," she admitted as she leaned against him.

"This is my fault," Aang said, and she could hear the misery in his voice.

"No, this isn't anyone's fault. We fought one of the worst men in history, and won. There was no way we were coming out of it unharmed. Besides, I'll live."

"Yeah . . . I guess we all will. The hundred year war is over. It's really over."

X

Sozin's comet made its departure from earth's atmosphere, and Raya felt the power it brought begin to go with it. She sighed in relief. The power was a lot to feel and contain, and she was glad it was almost over. Only a small amount of the comets boost lingered as an airship docked against the stone pillar Aang and Raya stood on.

Sokka hobbled off the ship with the help of Suki, and Toph wasn't far behind. It looked like Sokka had faired about as well as Raya – his leg bandaged and his body bruised. Raya clenched her arm and willed the pain to stop soon. She eyed Sokka's bandages and hoped she would be able to get some treatment herself. Hopefully they would meet up with Katara, and she would be able to heal it completely.

The sudden thought of Katara forced her to think about Zuko. Did they defeat Azula? Were they both okay? Were they both . . . She couldn't bring herself to finish the last question, and her heart ached.

 _I'm sure they're fine._

 _I hope you're right._

"Oh man! You guys should have seen yourselves. Raya was all like woosh psh psh. And I was like oh no! She isn't gonna make it! And Ozai was like muahahaha! Then Aang was all like zoom woosh psh! And then both of you were like 'We are the Avatar and Demitar. You must face your crimes!'" Sokka said excitedly as he strangely acted out the battle he had witnessed. Raya cringed at the silly water tribe boy and withheld another laugh, as it made her cough; she suspected a broken rib or two.

"So, did you . . . do it?" Suki asked as she looked at the still mass of the once-Fire Lord.

"I'm still alive," Ozai suddenly spat at her, and she jumped back a bit.

"I learned there was another way to defeat him and restore balance; I took away his bending."

"You . . . can do that?" Toph asked, incredulous.

"Apparently," Raya confirmed.

"How'd you learn that?" Sokka asked.

"A lion turtle."

"What?" Sokka, Suki, and Toph all asked in unison.

"It's why I disappeared. A lion turtle called me away in my sleep and I've been with it till now." He shot another apologetic look at Raya.

"Don't apologize anymore," she commanded.

"Man, twinkle toes, you always go on the craziest journeys," Toph said.

"Well, now that your bending is gone, I guess we should call you . . . the 'Loser Lord'." Sokka said as he hobbled over to mock Ozai.

"I am the Phoenix King." The former Fire Lord glared at the water tribe boy and made a move to attack, but faltered in his weakness and fell flat on his face.

"Oh sorry, your highness, didn't mean to offend you, Phoenix King of getting his butt whooped." Toph laughed.

"Yeah!" Suki joined in. "Or how about the . . . Guys who don't win?"

"Leave the nicknames to us, honey," Toph said with zero amusement. This made a laugh spring forth from Raya and a violent cough followed it. Aang looked on at her with concern.

"We should get going. You and Sokka need help," Aang observed as he moved Raya forward onto the airship.

"Someone needs to ride Rai Jin back to the fire nation palace." Raya let Suki continue to help her aboard the air ship.

"I'm on it," Aang said as he watched her disappear within the crafts confines. As Sozin's comet vanished entirely from the sky, it took the light with it and revealed nothing less than the darkness of night dappled by myriad starlight.

Raya turned slightly to watch Aang spring forth from the stone pillar they were on top of, and through their connection showed him where he needed to go. He found the dragon easily, and Raya felt a bit of herself relax. It was short lived as she let Suki help her into a seat in the control room.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather be in a bed? There are a few rooms on board that would probably be much more comfortable than this," Suki said, motioning towards the steal bench she sat on. Raya moved her head back and forth in protest.

"I'm sure." Raya shifted her arm in a way that she felt might make it hurt less. She was wrong. It didn't matter what she did, the pain simply radiated outward from the point of injury; more so when she moved it to find a comfortable position.

"Pretty bad?" Suki observed as she watched the Demitar flinch in pain as she tried to position herself more comfortably on the bench.

"It's broken," Toph interjected suddenly. Raya frowned at the confirmation of what she had already been thinking.

"You can see that?" Raya asked.

"Not really; I can hear it popping though. It's kinda creepin' me out," Toph admitted. Raya sighed.

"Sorry."

"You just defeated the Fire Lord. You saved the world. Don't be," Toph said, her voice hard. She hated it when people apologized. "You should definitely get that looked at soon, though."

"I'm hoping Katara can do something with it," Raya said hopefully. "For now, I'm just trying to keep it from moving."

"Let me bind it," Suki said, moving toward her with bandages. "It'll hurt to do it, but it'll hurt less once it's bound."

"Okay," Raya agreed, though her eyes showed her apprehensiveness. Suki was right; it hurt. A lot. But once it was done, the aching seemed to dull down and the throbbing went away entirely a few moments after its completion. She sighed in slight relief and looked towards Sokka.

"You're pretty banged up too," she observed.

"I don't know if it's broken. But it was worth it. The war is over, and we're all still here to see the world after."

9


	12. Chapter XII: Avatar Aang&Demitar Raya

Chapter XII:

Avatar Aang/Demitar Raya

Somewhere between the Earth Kingdome and the Fire Nation, Raya found that she couldn't keep her eyes open. She let the power of sleep wipe away the pain and exhaustion of her earthly body, and leaned back against the metal of the air ship. To say it was comfortable would have been a lie, but she was sure she could have fallen asleep on a bed of spikes at this point. The nothingness of sleep was irresistible.

"Raya?" The voice over her was soothing and concerned. She opened two bleary amber eyes and inspected the area around her. The walls were no longer made of metal, but instead finely crafted wood and stone. Her hands flexed, and she grasped at the plush fabric over and under herself. The fine linens were luxuriously soft and she lingered in the touch for a moment longer.

"Mm?" was all she could manage as her eyes came more into focus.

"Raya, it's me: Katara," the water tribe girl spoke softly as she pulled some of Raya's covers back. The exposure to the air of the room sent a sudden chill over the fire benders pale skin and she reached to pull them back. Her attempt to reclaim the covers was abruptly halted as a stinging pain shot, hard and fast, up her left arm. Her eyes opened wide, and she was so sharply aware of her surroundings that her head throbbed for a brief second. "Don't move, please. You may injure yourself more."

"Katara?" Raya used her legs to push herself up enough so that she was angled into a leaning position against her pillows, rather than laying directly on her back.

"I'm sorry for waking you, but Aang said your arm was broken. He was really worried," Katara said, gently taking the arm in question and laying it across the Demitar's exposed stomach. Raya realized she was in her under wraps, and absently glanced around to see if her clothes were in the room somewhere.

"Thank you for coming. I just hope that it can be healed." Raya looked down at her arm and saw the bloom of a black and purple bruise indicating where Ozai had gripped her arm mercilessly. Further up, above her elbow, more black, blue, and yellow blossoms were spreading; the break.

"I should be able to help," Katara said confidently. "I would have met you at the gates, but Zuko . . ." she let her words trail off into the emptiness of the room and pretended to be focusing with diligence on the broken arm.

"Zuko what?" Raya prodded, concerned.

"He was badly injured by Azula's lightning . . . I was finishing another healing session with him before I headed over here." She made her admission without her gaze leaving the arm.

"How bad?" Raya asked, trying to sit up more. Katara placed a gentle hand on the Demitar's shoulder and pushed her back into the bed.

"He's fine, Raya. He's going to be fine." Katara smiled and Raya could sense she was telling the truth. The water bender would have no reason to lie. Raya sighed and laid back. "This might hurt at first," Katara warned, and Raya realized she was finally prepared to work on the arm. Raya nodded as the water from a bowl at the benders side was drawn up into her hands.

Katara took the healing waters and pressed both hands along the Demitar's arm. Raya flinched as she felt the power of the healing waters seep into her skin. It looked as though the water would be cool and soothing, but as Katara began, it was stinging, and leaving a burning sensation in its wake. Raya felt her face scrunch up as she stared hard at the canopy above the bed.

"Sorry," Katara mumbled, clearly deep in concentration.

"S'okay," Raya allowed as she clenched and unclenched her right fist. There was a sudden jolt in her arm, and the pain subsided entirely. Raya felt the numbness in her left hand abate as warmth and feeling seeped back into it. She looked at the water bender with a smile, and noted the concentration in her eyes; the beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Well," she finally said, removing the healing waters and letting them fall back down into the bowl beside her.

"It's great," Raya said eagerly. She lifted her arm and flexed the fingers. Everything worked properly, but she noted a lingering soreness in the break area now that the healing waters were gone.

"I've done as much as I can, the rest will have to heal naturally. Here, let me bind it for you," she said, and Raya thought she must have made a face that revealed the soreness. Raya nodded in agreement and let the water tribe girl wrap bandages around her arm and bind it into a sling.

"Thank you, Katara." Raya smiled at her sincerely and sat up entirely from the bed. Raya turned her head to the window then. "What day is it?"

"Coronation day," Katara answered plainly.

"What time is it?" Raya tried not to sound worried.

"The sun has only been up for about an hour; that's why I apologized for waking you," Katara said as she got up and moved to the door.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Raya said, and she relaxed slightly.

"Zuko said that palace staff would come for you when it was time. You and Aang will be standing with Zuko at the coronation," Katara informed her as she pulled the door back.

"Thank you. For everything," Raya said, and she watched the water bender smile genuinely and pull the door shut behind her. Once Raya was sure she was alone, she felt for Aang's presence. He was sleeping somewhere in the palace. His spirit was gentle and calm; the first quality nights rest he had had in ages.

She pulled her mind back, not wanting to disturb him, and was aware that she was alone with her own thoughts. She stood and walked to the window. It over looked the face of the palace, and she took note of a woman walking quickly from the palace and toward a carriage. Her long black hair was flowing out behind her like inked silk, and as she stepped up into her transportation, Raya could have sworn she saw the mar of tears across her cheeks.

The Demitar stepped away from the window, and crossed the room to search for her clothing. As she did so, she caught the image of her reflection out of the corner of her eye. This caused her to back track and pause fully in the mirror. Her body was bruised in some places, and she felt the stiffness of her muscles confirm this damage.

She ran delicate hands across the newly damaged skin and contemplated the fact that time would wash these blemishes away, causing it to seem as though none of it ever happened. But it did happen, and she would never forget it; the world would never forget it. There was nothing that time could not erase, but Aang and Raya's stories would be told far and wide for years to come.

She looked at her face and noticed that her jaw had grown sharper, her face a little older. She contemplated the fact that she hardly recognized herself anymore. She was not the fifteen year old girl that woke from a hundred year slumber in stasis a year prior. She was now a sixteen year old fully recognized Demitar. The weight of the world officially rested across her shoulders, and Aangs. She touched her face absently, and realized that some of the hair over her shoulder was singed. It stood out all the more for the fact that her hair was stark white.

She pulled at it a little and looked back into the mirror. Did she dare consider the possibility of cutting it?

Flipping the hair over her shoulder she moved away from the mirror, leaving the idea of cutting her hair behind. Long hair was a symbol of status and power in the fire nation; now was a dangerous time to relinquish power. Her mind drifted over the possibilities of the future from here. The Fire Nation was not going to be an easy place to be, or control peacefully, for many years to come. Zuko was going to need all the help he could get.

 _When this is all over, meet me in the western garden of the Fire Palace on the morning of coronation._ The words he had spoken to her before she went to meet her destiny echoed in her mind at the thought of him. She felt her heartbeat quicken as she looked out at the light spilling through the slightly ajar window. A delicate breeze tossed the light red curtains loosely about.

X

She had looked high and low for her clothes, but they were nowhere to be found. Raya had been forced to open the wardrobe within the room to find that it was fully stocked with freshly laundered clothing; all of which were traditional fire nation robes and fittings. She had picked through everything within to find that none of it was anything less than the finest.

In defeat, and with no other clothing options other than waltzing around the palace in her under wraps, she had picked out the simplest looking traditional robe. It hugged her curves gently, and combined with her pinned and combed hair she could have passed for Fire Nation royalty. Pushing these thoughts quickly from her mind, she pressed on into the western corridors of the Fire Nation palace slowly.

She was waiting to be stopped at every turn by the staff; directed away, told what she should be doing, but no one paid her any mind other than to bow their respects. She nodded her head back to each of them in acknowledgement, and as she placed her hands on the handle of the wester garden doors, she felt her breath catch. This was so unlike her; the person waiting for her on the other side of those doors was someone she knew well, and someone she had even come to care for deeply. Why now did she find herself paralyzed by the unknown?

"May I assist you, Demitar Raya?" A young palace servant had approached her, his face pleasantly masking the concern he felt at the Demitar's strange behavior. Her hands were still planted firmly on the door handles and she looked over at him, startled. It was as though she had momentarily forgotten that other people inhabited the world around her.

"N-no. I mean," she cleared her throat and straightened. "No, thank you." She tried to instill an air of dignity about herself as she smiled and pulled the handles of the large doors back, letting the sun outside spill forth into the corridor. She let it kiss her skin and illuminate the soft amber irises.

"Enjoy the gardens, Demitar Raya," the servant said, now bowing low to her. She nodded and moved forward into the gardens. As the doors began to close behind her - the servant pulling them back into place - she called out:

"Raya, will be fine from now on."

The gardens were stunning. Summer was in full swing in the Fire Nation, and the gardens had flourished in the intensity of the sun. She took in the myriad colors that surrounded her and breathed deeply the snap dragons and fire orchids that dappled the edges of the stone path she now stood on. The stones led through the flora and into a large white stone gazebo.

The stone was brilliantly white, and from its railings hung organized tangles of vines. From the vines bloomed orange and red fire lilies, and Raya found herself taken by their beauty. The inner platform of the gazebo was decorated with a large stone flower planter - more flora spilling forth from its open top – and around the edges, stone benches. Against the far edge of the gazebo, a tall man stood with his back turned away from her.

His hair was left down and shagged loosely around his shoulders and the nape of his neck. He was in a casual fire nation robe, and Raya was suddenly jealous that she didn't have had access to one. However, it was clear why this person was able to attain more casual clothing; the Fire Prince was bound to have a greater selection of clothes at his disposal in his own home.

Raya felt her heart quicken as she stepped up into the white stone shelter, leaving the heat of the suns direct light behind her. Her feet made no sound as she stepped up to the Fire Prince, but hesitated instead of coming to stand directly behind him. Her silence was no match for Zuko's trained ear, however, and she found him turning to face her.

His robe was open, leaving his pants and bandaged chest exposed. Raya took in the thick bandages and looked up to meet his eyes with concern.

"I'm alright," Zuko said as he inspected her arm in return. It was bandaged and held up against her in a sling, leaving her left sleeve empty.

"It'll heal," she said, easing the worry he tried to hide on his face. Before she could concern herself with what to say next, she watched Zuko take two steps toward her. Closing the distance between them she felt his strong arms wrap unabashedly around her. This pressed her broken arm against her chest uncomfortably, the soreness becoming a dull ache, but she wrapped her good arm around his waist in return and let him hold her there.

"We did it," she said finally. It seemed like the only thing to say at this point.

"You did it," Zuko said, his lips moving in her white hair. This sent tingles up her spine, and she quelled the urge to bury her face deeper into his chest. Instead, she pulled back and he allowed her the small space.

"I'd never have been able to do it without everyone standing with me, though. Even you," she said, letting her hands absently fix the folds of his robes, even though they were aimlessly hanging from his shoulders.

"Heh . . . you give me too much credit. I wouldn't even have defeated Azula if it wasn't for Katara," Zuko admitted.

"I can see that," Raya said, stroking the center of his bandages gently. "We all need help once in a while, and that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed," Zuko corrected. "I'm worried. This country is about to look to me for all of its needs. How do I handle it all? Where does this nation go from here?" Zuko began to spout question after question and Raya raised a slender finger to his lips, silencing him. His face was covered in a crimson blush as he watched her carefully. She withdrew her finger slowly and looked deeply into his matching amber eyes; the trademark of Fire Nation children.

"I don't know much about many things, but I do know that you don't have to do it alone, Zuko."

"You remind me so much of Uncle . . ." Zuko said softly, then blushed and closed his eyes. "That came out wrong."

"I'm flattered; your uncle is a wise man," Raya said, trying not to laugh at the Prince's blunder.

X

Aang was waiting at the edge of the curtain that separated them from the public waiting for them in the small square of the Fire Palace. He was adorned entirely in the traditional attire of an airbending master, all the way down to the wooden carved necklace. He was sitting patiently, his head down – eyes closed. Raya approached silently, but her presence was not easily hidden from the Avatar.

"Raya," Aang greeted her as he opened his eyes and looked up at the Demitar. Raya smiled gently and nodded a greeting in return. Aang stood and hugged her, taking care not to press too hard on her bandaged arm. As she drew back from his embrace, Raya noted how much older he suddenly looked. She applied to him what she had been considering of herself earlier; how much have we changed?

No longer were they the people who had fallen out of their time traps all those months ago. They were two new people entirely; strangers in a new world.

"I can't believe a year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down . . ." Raya heard the Fire Prince step up beside her as he spoke, his eyes fixed on the young Avatar.

"And now we're friends," Aang said, finishing his thought for him. Zuko smiled and hugged Aang with brotherly affection. Raya smiled at the warmth that surrounded her, and felt as light as she ever had in this new era.

"Yeah . . . We are friends," Zuko said as he stepped back and took in the formal coronation robes that adorned Raya. Someone had helped her tuck her arm neatly into the folds of the robe so that they didn't look terribly displace. Her hair was braided in places and laid intricately down her back; her top bun fitted perfectly. Zuko couldn't help but notice that she still wore the crowned prince's ornament he had given her so long ago.

He too was now dressed in formal robes fitting for the soon to be Fire Lord. His previously freely laying locks of dark brown hair were now pulled up and fitted into a circular hair piece; soon it would be complete with the fitting of the Fire Lord's hair ornament. Raya blushed slightly as she took in his appearance. He cleaned up well, and she could tell that his becoming the Fire Lord was in his blood. Not because Ozai was his father, but because he had weathered the test of life and come out stronger.

"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice," Aang added.

"And I in a ball of energy," Raya said.

"The worlds so different now," Aang said, pensive.

"And it's gonna be even more different; when we build it together," Zuko said, his hands coming to rest gently, one each, on Aang and Raya's shoulders. With one last reassuring smile, Zuko turned toward the heavy red velvet curtain that led to the stage of the coronation. Raya followed with Aang at her side.

Outside, the large stone staircase led down into a crowd divided into four rows; fire, water, foggy swamp, and earth. The crowd waited patiently for the honorary members to appear at the head of the stair case. The sky was clear, and blue, and Raya thought for a moment that it might be taken as a symbol of the future to come. She could feel Aang agreeing silently at her side.

The ceremonial gong of the Fire Sages rang out to their left as Zuko stepped forth to face the crowd. Raya and Aang came to stand off to the right, watching him thoughtfully. The crowd applauded excitedly as they laid eyes on the soon to be Fire Lord, and Zuko raised a hand in silence.

"Please," he said humbly, "The real heroes are the Avatar, and Demitar." He turned and held out a gracious hand toward the pair. Aang and Raya looked at each other for less than a second and stepped forward to share the stage with the Fire Prince. The crowd cheered even more loudly and Aang and Raya smiled toward Zuko.

"Today, this war is finally over," Zuko continued with the Avatar and Demitar by his side. More cheering echoed out through the square as Zuko pressed on. "I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation – and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging; a hundred years of fighting has left the world scared, and divided. But with the help of the Avatar, and Demitar, we can get it back on the right path." Zuko exchanged sincere looks with both Aang and Raya as he spoke. "And begin a new era of love, and peace," he finished, his eyes locking with Raya's at the words 'love and peace'. She blushed and turned her face out to the crowd; Zuko doing the same.

Fire Prince Zuko kneeled, then, and a fire sage walked up behind him with the ceremonial ornament. He raised the Fire Lord's ornament and lowered it into the kneeling prince's hair. Fire Lord Zuko rose to face his audience as the sage spoke, "All hail, Fire Lord Zuko!" The crowd below cheered wildly as Zuko stepped forward to the top step, and motioned for Raya and Aang to stand by his side.

X

The gentle sounds of a tsungi horn drifted through the tea shop, occupied by a private party. The horn stopped playing suddenly as a tea cup was placed at the side of the player. Uncle Iroh reach out and accepted the cup, smiling proudly at his nephew. Zuko smiled in return and continued around Iroh's tea shop, handing out fresh cups of tea.

Sokka was sitting at a table with a stick of ink and a mild look of concentration on his face; tongue sticking out of his mouth. Suki was sitting near him, admiring his dedication. Aang was seated on the floor, legs folded, watching his friends move around him. Katara and Toph were talking lightly about where their lives would next lead them, and Raya was standing at a table on the far side of the room, tending to the brewing tea as Zuko had showed her.

"Could everyone please hold still? I'm trying to capture the moment," Sokka said with mock irritation as he made a few more marks on his parchment. Suki raised her brow and looked down at the paper in amusement.

"You're drawing us?"

"I thought it might be nice to remember this," Sokka said as he looked around at the contentedness of his companions.

"That was very thoughtful of you Sokka. Wait. Why'd you draw me with Momo's ears?" Katara asked suddenly.

"Those are your hair loopies," Sokka corrected.

"At least you don't look like a porcupine," Zuko said as he looked at Sokka's rendition of him. Raya stepped up to Zuko's side and looked down at the drawing.

"Why am I sitting on a scribbled out circle?" Raya asked.

"You're riding air scooters with Aang," Sokka said matter-of-factly.

"I thought you said you were capturing the moment?" Katara prodded.

"And why am I fire bending?" Suki added quickly.

"I thought it made it more exciting,"Sokka said, defending his artistic choices and looking around at his companions. Momo hopped up on the table and made chattering sounds, causing Sokka to glare at him. "Oh, what? You think you can do a better job, Momo?"

Raya noticed that Aang was the only one not to come up and join the others around Sokka's painting. He stood and instead walked out the front doors to stand at the bottom of the stone steps, looking out toward the sunset. Raya could feel the utter contentedness of his soul, and watched as Katara stepped out to join him. She blocked their connection quickly to afford him more privacy; she also didn't want to have to feel their moment through Aang's spirit.

As she blocked their connection, she walked back over to the table that held the tea pot and, using her firebending, lowered fire beneath it to let it steep. She felt Zuko step up beside her and her heart quickened as he sat his tray down. His hand came to rest atop hers as she used it to brace her weight lightly against the table. She straightened suddenly at his touch and looked into his eyes. Leaving her hand in his she turned to face him, and he stepped closer to her.

The other people in the room began to melt away suddenly, and it was as though she were standing alone in the world with Zuko as her only point of anchor. He looked down into her eyes; his filled with an overwhelming amount of sincerity and compassion. She returned his intensity with her own, and wished she could extend her non injured hand up to touch his face.

It was in this moment that Raya kissed Zuko for the second time, only this time it was filled with love and tenderness, instead of the fearful urgency of their first kiss. Zuko cupped her cheek with his free hand, his other still holding the hand of her uninjured arm, and stepped forward slightly so that there was no space between them. It was Raya who finally pulled away, slowly remembering that there were other people at the other end of the room, and looked up at him gently,

"I used to be so afraid of what the future held for me," Zuko said as he tucked a stray strand of white hair behind Raya's ear. "But now I look forward to each new day, and I have you to thank for that."

"I only did my duty; to serve the people. To bring balance back to the world. You shape your own destiny, Zuko," Raya said, giving his hand a light squeeze.

"You've made that destiny worth shaping."

 **[A/N: To my troopers who have made it this far: thank you so much for reading. I've enjoyed every second of writing this story. Stay tuned for a prologue, and know that a book two is in the works. As always reviews are so greatly appreciated. Cheers.]**


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue:

What Brought Us Together Is What Pulls Us Apart

Gray haze covered the skies over the Fire Nation palace, and the sound of light rain pattered over eves. The smell of wet earth wafted up from the warmth of the ground being rapidly cooled by the weather. Raya decided it was a fitting atmosphere for the day.

"You're leaving." It wasn't a question, or an accusation. If anything, it was a simple observation. The words echoed into the open space beneath the gazebo in the Western Garden. Raya felt an uncomfortable pang within her chest. She had been avoiding the Fire Lord all morning.

They had been staying in the Fire Nation palace by the grace of Zuko, but after three weeks, Aang decided it was time to keep things moving; the world wasn't going to right itself. Raya knew it was an inevitable conclusion to their stay, but the thought of saying goodbye was one she would rather avoid.

"I take it you've spoken with Aang," Raya said without turning from her leaning position. Her skin was damp with the rain, and it made her fiery spirit feel like a wet match. Small droplets of moisture were collecting in the white silk of the Demitar's hair, which hung loosely over her shoulder.

"I have. He told me where to find you, too," Zuko said. She could hear his light footsteps, indicating that he had stepped up into the shelter of the gazebo. "Are you going to look at me?"

The words hung in the air between them, and Raya felt her breath catch. If she were being honest with herself, she was avoiding the obligation. There was a difficult finality about the moment that she felt transpiring beneath the marble shelter. The silence was filled with her light sigh, and the fall of the rain around them. There was a reserved sadness etched into her face as she made eye contact with the Fire Lord. His hair was shagged around his face, damp from walking through the rain, and his robes were casual. His unbound robe revealed traditional fire nation pants, and his torso was the canvas to his most recent scar.

He stepped forward enough for them to be within arm's length of each other. She reached up and placed a gentle hand on the scar tissue, reminding her so much of her own. She would never understand the ruthless nature that fire benders possessed. It even lived within her, as much as she wished it didn't. Peace or war, there was a viciousness about the element she wished didn't exist.

He placed a gentle hand over hers and she looked up into his amber eyes. "We match," he said, touching her side gently where, beneath the fabric, her dragon fire scar lived. She gave him a halfhearted smile. "Come on, Raya." He placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face to fully meet his. He was serious, but a smile touched his lips which coaxed one out of her; a genuine one.

"I'm not sure when we'll return," she said finally. That was it; what had been eating at her all night and up unto this very moment. She knew how she felt about Zuko. Those feelings were true, and she wouldn't abandon them. However, she wondered if Zuko had taken the time to consider the implications of loving a Demitar. The world would call her away constantly. Could she even have a life beyond her duties?

"The world needs you," Zuko said with understanding.

"It will always need us; Aang and I. Until our dying breath; and in the next life," she remarked, her face turning a bit hard. Zuko stroked her cheek and she couldn't resist relaxing into his touch. This was wrong. It was only going to make leaving harder. And with that thought, she stepped away from him, out of his touch, and looked toward the large double doors down the path behind him.

"I've already told you that doesn't matter to me," Zuko said, trying to be patient. She could see the frustration building behind his eyes. "I mean, you being the Demitar matters, but not you being gone. This is the path I'm on, and it's a path I am okay with."

"But is it a path that will bring you happiness?"

"You bring me happiness," he insisted.

"Then your happiness will always be away," she said, moving past him and into the rain. It was pouring now, and she felt the droplets soaking into her robes. Her hair was becoming wet with rivulets of the weather and she made to move on to the door. A hand fell, not unkindly, on her shoulder. She stopped and turned her head back a bit to see the distraught look on his face.

"I don't see it that way," he said, and she felt his body press against her from behind. His arms wrapped around her gently and she felt him hug her. He held her there until she felt hot tears begin to spill from her eyes. She was suddenly grateful for the rain, as it mingled with her tears and masked their presence.

"Someday you might," she said solemnly. "What brought us together is pulling us apart," she thought aloud. Zuko rested his cheek against her white hair, wet now from the rain, and wished more than anything he could make her understand how he felt. It was as though she were pushing him away without any consideration for his side.

"Just because you are leaving doesn't mean you will never come back," Zuko said finally, seeing that she was making no more movements for the door.

"What if it takes a year? Two?"

"So be it," Zuko stepped up to her side, and then turned to face her.

"I won't let myself be the reason for your unhappiness," Raya said finally, glancing over to him.

"It's not your decision," he said with finality, and held her tighter. She gave up the fight, and let herself sink into his arms without hesitation. They were both soaked at this point, but Raya seemed to have forgotten the discomfort of the rain in that moment.

X

The halls were quiet, and Raya made her way slowly to her room. She need to pack the few things she had to take with her into her travel satchel, along with some of the new robes Zuko insisted she depart with. She took up the fabric between her fingers and felt each and every one of them, admiring their integrity and quality.

"Hey," a familiar voice sounded from the door. She glanced over to find Aang knocking lightly on the open doors frame as he sought permission to enter. She nodded her head in acquiescence, and the young Avatar made his way in. He had a light smile on his face, but it began to fade as he picked up on her mood through their connection. "Everything okay?"

"Sure," she said, trying to force a casual air. It didn't work well when the person you were trying to fool had a direct spiritual link into your soul. He gave her a knowing look and folded his arms. "Okay; not really. It's nothing, though. I'll be fine."

"You finally said your goodbyes." Aang was peering through her recent memories with his connection. She didn't block him, and merely shrugged her shoulders. This kind of closeness was something she had grown used to by now.

"Like I said: I'll be fine," Raya insisted as she stuffed the last of her things into the travel satchel Zuko had given her when she first escaped the Fire Nation. She probably could have used a bigger on at this point, but the bag had grown on her.

"You can still keep in touch. And we'll probably be back before you know it," Aang said, trying to bring a more positive atmosphere into the room.

"Easy for you to say; you get to continue traveling with Katara," Raya said, but her words caught a bit at the end. Through the connection she saw something she had not anticipated. "When did she decide that?"

"She and Sokka just told me today that they want to head back to the South Pole to help their father and the rest of the tribe rebuild."

"I'm sorry," Raya said, standing.

"Don't be. This is life. We all have to keep moving and living. Just because I'm dropping her off at the South Pole in a few days doesn't mean I'll never see her again. I'll write her all the time, and I know I'll always find my way back to her. I guess what I'm saying is, it's not forever." Aang shrugged and looked toward Raya.

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and then down at the floor. Maybe Aang was right. She had considered that she had been overly dramatic about leaving the Fire Nation, a place she once hated, but it had all been in Zuko's best interest. She loved him, and that was something she was going to have to live with. She had been pushing Zuko away because she knew as the Fire Lord, he would almost never leave the palace, let alone the Fire Nation. Who was she to hold him back like that? To bind him to herself with promises she may have to break?

She had already considered the fact that one day Zuko would have to marry for the good of his people – a match that would make the country more prosperous and peaceful. The Demitar was in no position to consider herself as a good marriage partner for the Fire Lord, if she ever found the time to settle. Aang didn't seem the least bit concerned, however, as his heart was clearly set on Katara. This gave Raya a small glimmer of hope for the future she envisioned.

"Maybe you're right," Raya finally said as she walked to the door. Aang fell into step at her side.

"I know it seems hard now," Aang said as they closed the bedroom door behind themselves and continued on down the hall. "But at least we have each other." Raya smiled at this and considered that fact. It was true; she would never have to roam the world alone, for the most part. Of course there would be times when duty would pull them away from one another, but that spiritual connection bound them in this world and the next.

"That we do," she agreed.

X

Fire Lord Zuko stood in the main foyer of the palace and waited patiently to see his guests off on the next leg of their journey. Raya gave him a pleasant smile as she descended the large stair case with Aang at her side. She saw him visibly relax as he returned her smile. She felt a bit guilty, realizing that she had made things tense between them earlier in the garden because of her solemn mood.

Aang departed from the Demitar's side and met Katara at the bottom of the stairs. Raya stepped up to Zuko and they all began walking to the door as a group. Sokka, Suki, and Toph were already outside, packing the large sky bison for travel. Katara and Aang stepped through the large doors first, and Zuko lingered in to doorway. Raya took pause and watched as Aang and Katara descended down the stairs and toward their flying companions without giving Raya or Zuko a second thought.

The Demitar turned to face the Fire Lord with gentle eyes. He looked like he used to when he tried to talk to her. His brow was furrowed in thought and his eyes were pointed at the ground. She smiled gently and tilted her head slightly. She would miss these awkward moments.

"Raya," Zuko finally said as he looked up to her. There was melancholy in his eyes, but also an intensity that made Raya's heart skip a beat.

"Yes?"

"You will always have a home here – if you want it." Raya cleared the distance between them in three easy steps and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly. She felt his arms return the embrace with the same amount of enthusiasm. She pulled her face back only slightly, and tilted her head back enough to whisper to him.

"I will always want it."


	14. Book II: Prologue

[A/N: Hey everyone! I am so glad everyone seemed to have enjoyed the first book so much. I'm really excited to delve into the second book, which will be entirely of my own imagination. I'm eager for the challenge and ready to get back into the lives of our favorite characters. I hope you will enjoy the way this prologue sets up the first chapter; this book will be pretty Raya/Zuko-centric. Enjoy! Always love reviews!

Ps: I've decided to keep everything under the first books post because it seems neater, and I don't want people to be confused or have to hunt down the first book if they find they are interested in reading book two.]

* * *

 _ **The Legend of Demitar Raya**_

 _ **Book II: Wind and Flame**_

 **Summary** : _It's been three years since the wars end, but the world is still feeling the aftershock. Raya finds herself Fire Nation bound for the first time in years. She must find a way to help Zuko bring peace to his divided nation, while she tries to figure out if the years have caused a divide to grow between them._

* * *

Prologue:

There are times when our destiny must intermingle with those we would have never expected. It is our ever present duty to embrace the change of life, and march forward into the face of our own truths. To dwell on the past is to lock yourself away within the confines of frozen time; you must never look back. So she didn't.

Three years had passed since the hundred year war came to its end. In all of those years Raya and Aang spent most of their time in the Earth Kingdom and the Southern Water tribe; two places that seemed to cry out for their help the most. Even now, the Demitar found herself standing on an Earth Palace balcony overlooking the whole of Ba Sing Se.

It was vastly different than she once remembered it. Once the city had been web of never ending walls that called for the division of the citizens within the great walls. Now it was an open expanse of buildings, shops, and homes. It looked more unified now that it ever had, and the secrets the walls kept went almost entirely with them.

The only place in the Earth Kingdom that had proven difficult to reconcile immediately after the wars end was Yu Dao. The Fire Nation colony had been one of the very first to become so; almost a hundred years ago. It was a mingling of people from both nations. Earth and firebenders lived together, married one another, and even produced children that could bend earth, even though they had firebender ancestry, and vice versa.

The mingling of the nations was not the problem, though. It was the fact that the Earth Kingdom wanted their land back, and the people of the fire nation refused to remove themselves from the only home they had ever known; the only people they had ever loved. This inspired Aang to found Republic City. He traveled to the Fire Nation many times in the past few years, and Raya even joined him there once, but that was over three years ago.

She had barely left the Earth Kingdom in all that time. The turmoil there was too heavy not to have at least one of the two there most of the time. Raya's life was nothing but meeting after meeting; helping the government right and guide itself into a new and prosperous era. It beat getting caught up in the heat of deadly battles, but she had to admit that part of her missed the excitement of it all; not to mention a certain Fire Lord that went with all the danger.

A fleeting sigh escaped her lips as she gripped the letter that had led her into this train of thought. The Fire Lords seal was broken where the pages folded over one another, and the Demitar held it over the balcony with a relaxed hand. She had read it many times, and would do so many more. Its contents were exactly what she had expected; brief.

Aang informed her that the letter would be coming, which made it all the less exciting. Not to mention he already explained why the letter would come; an invitation. She and the Avatar communicated almost daily, and there was little going on in the world that she wasn't at least briefly aware of. Aang told her of the request, but she didn't really believe it until the letter arrived in its physical form.

As far as she knew, Aang and the Fire Lord had been keeping in regular communication about the wellbeing of the Fire Nation. While Zuko wrote that things were going well, Aang suspected that they were not. In the three years she had been away from the Fire Nation, she and the Fire Lord had not kept much in the way of correspondence; something she chalked up to his demanding position as the ruler of a country.

But if Aang was worried, then so was she. According to the Avatar, Zuko's letters were getting shorter and shorter with each passing month. At the urging of his best friend, the Fire Lord seemed to have – begrudgingly – sent for the Demitar. Zuko never was one to easily accept help, even when he needed it the most. And so she was – finally - leaving the Earth Kingdom. Though, not without making a few stops on the way.


	15. Book II: Chapter I

**Chapter I:**

 **The Southern Water Tribe**

* * *

It wasn't a place the Demitar had ever been before, but she recollected the times that Katara and Sokka had told her tails of their home land. The place they had described was filled to the brim with harsh, desolate landscape as well as snow and ice as far as the eye could see in any direction. So when she and Rai Jin flew into the tribe limits, they Demitar was justifiably shocked.

Instead of the sparse collection of igloos and huts that she expected, she was met instead with an entire city. As far as her eyes could see, there were large water tribe themed structures. Fortunately, it didn't take her long to figure out her landing location in the myriad buildings.

At the focal point of the city's center sat a large palace like structure. She directed Rai Jin to fly towards it, and it wasn't long before she spotted the large flying bison that was indicative of the Avatar's presence. Appa was laying contently amongst a few bales of hay as the white dragon made his landing. Snow and ice crunched beneath his weight, and Appa groaned a greeting to the two familiar beings.

The great bison stirred to his feet, all six of them, and gave even more familiar groans and growls. Raya dismounted the leather saddle of her dragons back, and as she hit the ground, crystalline snow crunched beneath her feet. She watched as her breath became visible puffs of vapor in the air. Never before had she experienced such an immensely cold atmosphere.

She had experienced cold, of course. After the defeat of Ozai, the Avatar and Demitar had made a brief trip to the Northern Tribe to meet with the chief there. The weather was cold, and intense, but much more tolerable than that of the Southern Pole. The cold in this region of the world was so much greater than that of the North. The Demitar let a small puff of emerald flame escape from her lips as she employed the use of her breath of fire to keep warm since she had no heavy parkas like the people of the tribe did.

While she was able to remain comfortable with a combination of her breath of fire, and ability to bend the currents of wind around her, she wondered how anyone willingly submitted themselves to life in this world of frozen white. She imagined it had a lot to do with being born here; they were simply made for the conditions. Not only that, but the amenities that now seemed to surround them probably contributed to making the situation much more bearable.

The Demitar stretched as she pulled herself from her train of thought. Her muscles and limbs were stiff from going months at a time without flying Rai Jin. Years of sitting in stuffy Earth Kingdom offices had made her a bit weaker than she remembered being in her younger years, and this caused a disappointment to stir in her. She never expected to let the years without trial and combat make her soft. She reveled in this opportunity to feel the wind above and below her; tossing her white locks wildly behind her. Freedom.

"Hello, old friend," Raya said as she patted the great bison's muzzle affectionately. He gave her a great lick of remembrance before nudging her hard enough to rock her on her heels. Rai Jin moved closer to Appa as well, bumping the great flying bison with his rough snout.

"Raya!" An enthusiastic and familiar voice carried down the great steps.

 _I asked Katara to meet you at the steps._ Aang's voice rang through her head as plainly as if he were standing directly before her.

 _Too busy for the Demitar?_ Raya replied with mock hurt.

 _Unfortunately, you're not wrong._

 _I forgive you._

 _Gracious as always. I'll meet up with you soon._

"Talking to Aang?"

"Huh?" Raya blinked and realized that not only had the water bender made it to where she stood at the bottom of the stairs, but that she'd left her standing in utter silence for much longer than common courtesy allowed. "Oh. Yeah, sorry," Raya smiled in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her neck. Katara gave a dismissive smile and embraced the Demitar.

"It's so good to see you," she said as she stepped back and took in the full appearance of the Demitar. "Did you get taller?"

It was true, the Demitar had grown at least three or four inches in the last few years, but she was hopeful that was over. She stood just a few inches taller than the water tribe girl now, and prayed that she wouldn't exceed the height of her male companions. She was still the same Raya she had always been, though her oval face had narrowed more with adulthood and her Fire Nation robes now accentuated the curves that came with womanhood. Within the Demitars top bun rested the same ornament the Fire Lord had given her all those years ago; when he was still just the Fire Prince.

"Yeah. Finally had to have new robes tailored last year." Raya absently pulled at the fabric of her travel robes. She fell in step beside Katara as they began to ascend the steps leading into the Southern Palace.

"Aang's suffered quite the growth spurt, too. I feel like he's gained another inch every time he comes back," Katara said with a small laugh. When Raya stepped into the foyer and the doors shut behind her, she realized just what Katara meant.

The sixteen year old air nomad stepped down onto the stair case as they entered. He was at least 5'10" now, and the once overflowing fabric of his air Avatar outfit now fit him perfectly as it should. He even had the beginnings of a beard, however slight, starting around his chin. She smiled happily at the familiar blue arrows and watched as Aang returned it.

Skipping the last several steps with a little help from his airbending, the Avatar leapt down to the ground floor to stand directly before Raya; the air currents sending the girls' hair whipping about lightly and robes flowing about. With a laugh, Raya reached out and embraced the air nomad. Aang stepped back after a moment, and after placing his hands on her shoulders, took a good look at her.

"It's so good to see you," he finally said with a grin.

"It's only been about six months this time, right?" Raya asked, making an exaggerated tally on her fingers.

"Oh, come on," he scowled playfully.

"Well, if it isn't one of my favorite jerk benders," a familiar voice came now from somewhere behind the tall young Avatar. Katara was right, he had grown; even since she had last seen him.

"Sokka," Raya said warmly as she peered around Aang to find the water tribesman walking towards them. He clapped her on the back while embracing her in a bear hug, in typical water tribe fashion.

"I'd say you haven't changed a bit, but . . ." he trailed off then, stepping back to get a proper view of the young Demitar. He was still much taller than her, but the height difference was now by only a few inches.

"I think it's fair to say we've all changed." Raya looked around at her companions, and realized that time left none of them behind. They were all fuller, taller, and more defined than they had once been. Katara, now eighteen, boasted the figure of a grown woman with a soft oval face. Sokka, now twenty, had left his boyish features far behind, and traded them in for a sharp jaw line and a thick musculature. Aang was still in the throes of his adolescence, but even he looked much more masculine than he ever had. The Demitar herself had hit the age of nineteen only a few months prior and, somewhere in the Fire Nation, Zuko was now twenty.

At the thought of change, and Zuko, she wondered how much time had changed him. What did he look like now? Was he much taller now, like Aang? Had his sinewy teenage body become one thick with muscle, like Sokka? Had his hair grown to a fitting length for a Fire Lord? Had his face changed any? Had he?

"Raya! Welcome," another familiar voice came to join their group, and interrupted her train of thought. She turned her head to acknowledge the new comer, and came face to face with Chief Hakoda.

"Thank you, Chief Hakoda," Raya said with a formal bow; fist pressed into her open palm. She was suddenly swept up into another bear hug, much like Sokka's, and coughed as the air rushed from her lungs.

"Ah, just Hakoda, to you," he offered. She nodded in agreement.

"Sokka, I thought you were living in Republic City now?" Raya observed as she realized that her exchanges with the Avatar lead her to believe he no longer resided in the South Pole. For the past year, as far as she knew, the water tribesman had taken up residence in the city, and a place on the counsel of Five; serving as the water tribe representative, and head of the counsel. Sokka had jumped at the offer when Aang extended it.

"I'm actually headed back when you leave. Also, can I hitch a ride with you to Republic City?" Sokka gave a large, pleading grin. She knew how much he loved riding Rai Jin. The last time he had taken flight on the dragon's back, she wondered how she was ever going to pry him off. He said that flying on Appa was one thing, but flying with a dragon was absolutely exhilarating.

"Of course," Raya said, and Sokka gave a subtle fist pump in triumph.

"Before that, however, there is a reason we asked you to come here before you make your journey to the Fire Nation," Hakoda said as he began to walk away down a long corridor. Everyone took that as a sign to follow. As they walked down the well decorated hallway, the Demitar found herself staring at several different paintings and pieces that were representative of the Southern Water Tribe's values and cultural expectations.

"What do you think?" Katara asked from her side.

"It's amazing," Raya said as she eyed a large polar bear dog sculpture. "I knew you were rebuilding, but I had no idea," Raya said, trailing off.

"There were a lot of Northern influences," Katara offered, gesturing to the grandeur of the palace they now resided in, her voice turning a bit bitter at the mention of the North.

"It's beautiful."

"Even with all of the Northern influence, we've made sure to maintain the values and culture of the South. There are no arranged marriages, and women are free to master waterbending."

"Gran Gran wouldn't have it any other way," Sokka interjected. "She ran away from the Northern tribe for a reason."

Raya nodded as the large double doors they had reached at the end of the hall opened, leading them all into a medium sized, round room. At the very center of the room was a large, crystal clear pool of water. Around the pool, a circular table was arranged, and at the head of the table was a chair and place that sat noticeably higher than the rest. Hakoda took the higher place, and the rest of the group filled in.

The Demitar found herself seated between Aang and Sokka as the double doors behind them slid closed, a decisive click sounding as they latched shut. Raya couldn't help but admire the splendor of the room. The water tribes usual blue hues were swathed across the room, mingled with white, and the water tribe symbol rested at the bottom of the crystalline pool of water. It was definitely a proud and impressive display.

"Okay, first order of business," Hakoda said as he brought everyone's attention to him. "The reason we brought you here, Raya, is for the opening of the new town hall, which is interconnected with the 'Four Nations Museum'. The opening of the building is scheduled for later today, followed by the opening party. Just the founders, donors, and some political guests. Nothing too over the top." Hakoda said as he laid out their plans for the evening.

"I wish I'd brought better clothes," Raya thought aloud. There was a bit of laughter from everyone at the table.

"Typical girl," Sokka teased. Raya shot him a sideways glance.

"It's important for you and Aang to make an appearance there, together. We would really like to embody the spirit of unity and peace in the opening of this new building. Tensions have been a bit high since the migration of Northerners into the South. It was a great help during the rebuilding efforts, but now that people have come to settle, we have noticed a bit of division amongst the people. We are all brothers and sisters in the water tribe; whether Northern or Southern," Hakoda said with finality. Raya could hear in his tone that this was something that had been a growing problem for a while.

"You'll be expected to make a small speech at the ceremony, but it's already been taken care of. Makora," Hakoda said, waving a young woman over to the table. Raya hadn't even noticed her joining them. She carried in her arms a few pieces of parchment, one of which she handed to Raya.

"So . . . We just read what's on here?" Raya asked, gesturing to the parchment.

"That's the plan," Hakoda confirmed. Raya nodded in agreement as she looked through the words written in fine script along the page. The words 'unity', 'bond', and 'one' were most notably written several times through the course of the speech. She didn't even need to read it aloud to know that it sounded dry and too formally composed. How were people supposed to be inspired by this? Did Aang's sound any different?

She kept her concerns to herself, and blocked her stream of thought from the Avatar. The last thing she wanted to do was question the authority of the Southern Water Chief. Even as she folded the words against herself, sliding them into the pocket of her robes, she wondered how she would deliver this speech.

"Our people respect the Avatar and Demitar's words and work. I'm counting on you two," the chief said, giving the two of them a meaningful look.

"We'll be there," Aang assured him.

X

The opening of the town hall, and Four Nations Museum went off without a hitch. A massive crowd gathered outside the building to witness the cutting of the ribbon that symbolized the significance of the moment. Many of them had seen the Avatar before, as he made frequent rounds to the Southern Pole, but none of them had ever seen the Demitar in person. There was a great deal of curiosity about the white haired, blue tattooed fire bender.

She waved stiffly at the top of the steps beside Aang. He nudged her a few times and she heard the words 'loosen up' echo through their connection. She tried, genuinely, but being a public figure came harder to her than anything she'd ever had to master in her lifetime. Aang seemed almost a natural at it, as she watched him smile out over the crowd, deliver his speech, and wave when appropriate. Raya gave the most convincing delivery of her speech that she could, but the words tumbled out just about as stiffly as she was standing.

"Today, we come together for the opening of this town hall, and the Four Nations Museum - a symbol of unity – just as you came together as Sister tribes to rebuild . . ." Raya trailed off as she looked out at the sea of faces below her. The town square was packed, and every pair of eyes looked toward her expectantly.

 _Raya_ . . . Aang prodded in her mind. She let her arms fall to her sides, the parchment going with them. She looked up at the crowd and took a deep breath. The people of this village didn't need to hear another prepared speech; another cut and dry show to momentarily convince them to see beyond their problems with one another. The speech felt entirely wrong, in that moment. Clearing her throat a little, she ignored the stares of her companions at her back.

"Someone spent a lot of time writing this, I think, but the thing is; I have my own words of unity for you all today . . . Not long ago, I was a prisoner; locked away by my very own people. People that I was supposed to be able to call brother and sister. People I was supposed to be protecting; trusting. But, I was also saved by one of them. What I'm trying to say here is – we must have faith in each other. The world will always change and challenge us, and if we can't look to each other for support . . . then we can look nowhere. Brothers and Sisters of _both_ tribes, I give you your new town hall, and the Four Nations Museum!"

A roar of applause rang out from the people below, and the Demitar felt people step up beside her. Hakoda stepped forward and cut the ribbon with a decisive slice, using one of his traditional blades.

 _Nice speech. I had no idea you were going to go lone ranger with it._

 _I got a little caught up in the moment._

 _No-no, I liked it. I think people responded better to the genuineness of it. You connected with them._

 _All in a day's work for the Demitar._

 _Hey, that's my line!_

 _X_

The speech making was only half the battle of being a public figure, as the Demitar soon learned. She had been subjected to ceremonies and public appearances in the Earth Kingdom for years, but they knew her well enough by now that she could go about her business as a regular individual. Here, that was not the case. As someone they had never encountered before, she received vastly more attention than she was prepared for. It didn't help that she was preoccupied by her nearing journey into the Fire Nation. There were more than a few things swirling around in her mind because of it.

The table that the Gaang was seated at included only one extra individual that was not a part of their group. It didn't take long to discover that her name was Kama, and that her father was one of the donors that contributed to the building project. Raya wondered if the seating arrangement was a request or by total serendipity. Either way, the girl had a lot of questions, and Raya tried faithfully to answer all of them, along with Aang. The Demitar was no stranger to formal conversation, but was by no means a master of it. Her status as the Demitar saw her in a lot of political situations, but she preferred the company of her old friends; the only company she had expected to keep for the evening.

Katara seemed to pick up her slack easily, though, and for that she was grateful. Katara had always been a kind, and interested individual. She had this motherly affection about her that enabled her to speak with anyone easily without a moment's hesitation. As Raya listened sporadically to their conversation, she realized that perhaps the two knew each other. It wasn't that farfetched, since Katara and Sokka were now center stage to the political rings of the Southern Tribe.

"Care to dance?" A voice came from above and beside the Demitar. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that the strangers sudden materialization beside her caused her to jump. She glanced over, scolding herself. What kind of Demitar jumped at the sudden appearance of a person? She sighed internally; life in the Earth Kingdom palace had definitely made her soft.

She looked up finally to inspect the owner of the voice, and to realize that the room was full of dancing people. Had dinner really passed so quickly? The gentleman standing beside her was definitely from the water tribe; his hair was bound in a warrior's wolf tail, and a lock of hair on the left side of his head was bound in a few blue beads. He looked to be in his early twenties, with the signature russet skin of those from the water tribe pulled taught over a sharp jaw line.

"I don't really . . ." Raya began to admit that she wasn't much of a dancer. The only dances she really knew were Fire Nation movements, and those were over 100 years old now. She doubted they'd be even remotely useful at a Water Tribe soirée.

"She'd love to," Aang said as he pushed her chair out slightly from the table with an inconspicuous burst of air. She shot him a fiery glance and placed a searing hot hand on the air nomads shoulder with a forced smile. Avatar or not he was a typical air nomad; fun loving prankster. Aang yelped at the hot hand, but she knew it didn't hurt him.

"Thank you Aang. You always know just what I'm trying to say," she seethed. He gave her one of his signature playful grins.

"It's like I'm in your head," Aang tried to say seriously.

"Wonderful!" The gentleman exclaimed as he extended a hand to the Demitar. "I'm Norak, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Norak. I'm-"

"Demitar Raya, of course. I can't imagine a soul who doesn't already know who you are," Norak interjected eagerly. She nodded politely before turning her head over her shoulder to stick a disgruntled tongue out at Aang and the others at the table, all of whom were stifling laughs – poorly.

Raya didn't recognize the song that was playing over the crowd, but she decided she liked it. There were a lot of string instruments, and a couple flutes that synchronized so harmoniously that Raya could feel the music deep within her soul. It even raised goose bumps along her arms as certain notes were struck. She took the water tribesman's hand, and placed the other on his shoulder. He placed a steady hand on her waist, and she took a slow breath.

"Don't worry, just follow my lead," he said as they began to slowly sway along the open space in the center of the room. She moved with him, and surprisingly dancing wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be.

"This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Raya thought out loud, then looked up into the face of her partner. "That came out wrong – I meant the dancing in general, not-"

"Don't worry about it," he shook his head dismissively with a small grin. "I am honored to be dancing with the Demitar at all." Raya smiled, unsure of what to say. "You know, I spent most of my life being taught to fear people from the Fire Nation, but you are nothing like the people stories described."

"You can't let one perspective dictate your perception of an entire people," the Demitar said.

"Such wisdom! I mean, I knew you would be - wise, that is," he said, his eager nature causing the Demitar's brow to furrow. "Sorry, I know I'm being overbearing . . ."

"Its fine, really," Raya said, trying not to seem as put off as she really was.

"I've just heard so many stories about you, and Aang; and your whole journey. It's just a true honor to be able to speak with you." The music ended as he spoke, and Raya stepped back from him; bowing slightly.

"Thank you for the dance," she said with a smile.

"No, thank you," he insisted as he returned her bow. She moved away from him then, and returned to her place at the table.

"That was fun," Aang said, and Raya knew he had been listening through their connection.

"I sense that you are trying to put me in an early grave," Raya said.

"What? Absolutely not!" Aang said playfully as he pushed her shoulder.

"I never thought I would say this, but can I please go to the Fire Nation now?" A chorus of laughs echoed from the people around the table that understood how ironic her request was.

Raya stuck around for a few more hours before she decided that she had made enough of an appearance for one day. Rai Jin would be waiting patiently for her to either rustle something up for him, or take him out to rustle up his own something. Not only that, but she felt socially exhausted. She'd spent the better part of her evening making small talk with almost every person in the room at least once.

"The coach will be here soon, are you sure you don't want to wait for a ride back with us?" Katara asked.

"I could use the fresh air," Raya insisted as she stepped out the large double doors, and into the harsh cold of the night. She immediately began bending the currents subtly around body to make a more bearable bubble around herself.

"I think I'll join you," Aang said as he gave Katara a small kiss goodbye. "We'll see you guys back at the palace." The word palace still felt strange on his tongue.

"Ugh . . . That still gives me the oogies . . ." Sokka said as he averted his eyes from their affection.

"Give it a rest Sokka . . . It's been three years," Katara snapped, though she didn't seem to mean it in a bitter way. The water tribesman raised his hands and took a step away from his sister. Raya agreed to let Aang join her as she began down the steps with him in tow; both suppressing laughs at the pair still within the doors.

The streets they found themselves in were well lit, and even at night the snow and ice shimmered like glass. Raya found herself appreciating the South Pole's beauty a bit more than she initially had when she first arrived. There was something about the night that made the environment seem a bit less harsh.

"I'm sorry you never got the chance to visit the South sooner," Aang said aloud.

"I go where duty calls," Raya shrugged.

"Speaking of duty calling, how are you feeling about seeing Zuko again?"

"We haven't spoken much in the last few years, so I'm not really sure what to expect . . ."

"I'm worried about him," Aang paused a bit in the street, and Raya stopped with him. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were a storm of thought.

"You would know better than I would to be worried."

"He kept in touch really well at first, but now . . . It's become few and far between. When he does respond to my letters, it's next to nothing."

"He's the Fire Lord. I imagine the job title comes with a lot of responsibility," Raya offered, though she knew she was being too generous with the benefit of the doubt.

"I'll just feel better when you're there. I feel like there's something he's not telling us," Aang said, and he began walking again.

"Palace dwellers are masters of secret keeping," Raya said thoughtfully. A lengthy pause took up the air between them for a while, then.

"You're leaving tomorrow, right?"

"That's the plan. I have to get Sokka to Republic City by tomorrow night."

"Let me know when you get there," Aang said, though it was a request, not a demand.

"Of course," she said, and as she spoke, realized that they had finally come upon the palace.

X

"It's been really good seeing you," Aang said as he embraced the Demitar outside the palace steps. Sokka stood behind her, next to the great white dragon that would soon be carrying them to Republic City. He wore his parka and a strange looking pair of goggles that he had invented to keep the wind from stinging his eyes while in flight. Raya had to hand it to him, the man was inventive. She had never considered the fact that the wind burned and stung, because she had always bent it around herself unconsciously while in the air.

"Maybe someday we can stop saying goodbye so often and for so long. But you know where to find me," she said with a wink and a light tap on her forehead. He smiled genuinely as Katara approached for her hug. The Demitar gave her a light squeeze. "Thank you for your hospitality. I look forward to returning."

"You always have a home here," Katara said with a smile as Aang wrapped a caring arm around the water benders waist. Raya was taken aback a bit by her words, as she had heard them once before. A volley of poignant memory struck her like a tidal wave, and she tried to brush it off quickly.

"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly; fist against open palm.

"Are we going or what?" She heard from behind her. Everyone turned to see that Sokka had already clambered up into the dragon's saddle and was sitting comically poised for flight; reigns filling each hand.

"Be safe," Aang said, waving gently as he watched her pull herself up behind Sokka who was hell bent on being reign master.

"Republic City, here we come."


	16. Book II: Chapter II

A/N: Hello everyone. Get ready for your favorite Fire Lord to make his appearance. Thank you for reading, and I look forward to your thoughts on this chapter.

* * *

Chapter II:

Return to the Fire Nation

"You sure you don't want to stay one more night?" Sokka asked as he watched Raya fasten a bag of supplies onto Rai Jin's saddle.

"I really can't," she insisted, turning toward her companions.

"Tell that knuckle headed Lord of yours he should come around more often. He should see the city he helped create," the sixteen year old Republic City Chief of police said with her usual callous tone and crossed arms. Toph Beifong was easily one of the strongest people Raya had ever met. Her unbending will had made her the obvious candidate to be the chief of police for the rapidly expanding city, even though she was just sixteen. Aang had initially met some resistance about his choice, due to her age, but the tenacity of the young metal bender spoke for itself.

In the three years that Raya had been in the Earth Kingdom, she had only been to Republic City four times. Each time, the city got a little bigger. The harbor was bustling daily with the traffic of hundreds of sailors and merchants, coming from every corner of the globe in order to trade, buy, and sell in the city. There were several districts in the city, including those that represented one of each of the four nations, as well as a district that was home mostly to non-benders.

During her overnight stay there, Sokka and Toph had shown the Demitar all of the new additions, as well as the major buildings. They even took her to see Air Temple Island. There was nothing there yet, but Aang had decided to have plans drawn up for a nomad sanctuary that would be placed on the island. It would house not only him and Katara in the future, but the many air acolytes that had accrued over the years. Yu Dao had transformed from a war occupied town, to a flourishing utopia where anyone of any creed could begin life anew.

"I'll pass the message on," Raya said with a smile. Toph's face softened ever so slightly and she gave the Demitar an affectionate punch on the arm. Raya winced and glanced over to see Sokka repressing a laugh. "I guess this is goodbye."

"I guess it is. Send us a fire hawk once in a while, will ya?" Sokka said as he gave the Demitar one of his signature bear hugs. Raya nodded and mounted the large white dragon at her back. She smiled down at both of them, and with a small wave set off for the Fire Nation. As the wind whipped around her, tossing her hair around her shoulders and face, she swore she heard, "And send fire flakes!"

X

The journey didn't take long. The once town of Yu Dao, first place to become occupied by Sozin's hundred year war, was as close as one could get to the Fire Nation without actually being in its territory. It only took a few hours in the air for the small signature volcanic islands of the Fire Nation to come into view. This caused the Demitar's stomach to become a swarm of anxious buzzing.

She had longed for years to return to the palace – to see Zuko; to be with him. There had been a mutual understanding between them that they were both important people, and their responsibilities had to lie elsewhere. She thought this moment would bring her volleys of joy, but instead, she was afraid. It was a strange feeling to admit. Anxious, worried, excited; all of these would have made more sense in this moment, but she knew they were not the proper adjectives to describe her mood.

She wondered then why she felt this way. Perhaps it was the lack of communication over the years that had her feeling uncertain. It had taken Aang's urging to get him to agree to have Raya come to the Fire Nation at all. It wasn't even by his own volition that the Demitar would be returning to her home land. Did he want her there at all? Or was he just appeasing the nagging of the Avatar.

Of all the questions swirling around in her head, none hit her harder that the last one: Did he want her at all? She pushed it away from the forefront of her mind. There were too many things to consider as she arrived to be dwelling on such trivial issues. And that's all they were in this moment; trivial issues that she had to put aside, because first and foremost, she was the Demitar. She focused on her duty, attempting to mask the chaotic torrent of questions running through her mind.

It was a good thing too, because the main land had been passing below the dragon and Demitar for some time while she thought, and the Fire Nation palace began to appear in the distance. The moment of truth was upon her as she took a steadying breath, and directed the dragon into the mouth of the extinct volcano that housed the capital city of the Fire Nation.

As Rai Jin flew over the palace gates, a few guards sounded small horns to alert others of the Demitar's arrival. She could see people scurrying about beneath her and the dragon as he slowed to a hover and touched down on the cool stone that preceded the main entryway of the royal palace. She slid down from her saddle and looked around herself, watching as a few guards approached her.

"Demitar Raya," one of them said as they bowed to her. She gave them a small bow in return. "Please follow us." She obliged, and they lead her up the stone steps that gave way to the large double doors. Their solid wooden mass began to slide open as servants pulled at them from the inside. She glanced behind her to see a few guards exchanging questioning glances about what to do with the dragon.

"Demitar Raya, what an honor." The guards halted, then separated at the top of the steps, leaving a path for the Demitar to continue up the rest of the way. The man who spoke to her now was a short man with a bit of age on him. His beard and mustache were white with age, and his attire was simple yet elegant. She bowed to him.

"Forgive me, but I don't know your name," she said, unsure of how to properly greet the man.

"I am HanLee, Fire Lord Zuko's advisor," the man said with a genuine smile. "Now you must forgive me; we were not expecting your arrival."

"What? I received a letter from the Fire Lord last week. He asked me to come here," Raya began to explain as she watched HanLee with confusion.

"I assure you, Demitar Raya, we knew nothing of your arrival," HanLee insisted.

"Let me speak with him," Raya requested as she followed the advisor into the foyer of the palace. The place had not changed at all since the last time she had been inside. It was as grandiose as it had always been, with Fire Nation emblems hung at intervals along the available wall space between marble pillars.

"He has been informed of your arrival, I'm sure he will be with us shortly-"

"Move!" The voice that interrupted HanLee's just then was one the Demitar recognized as plainly as if she had heard it only the day before. It was a voice she would never forget, and even in anger as it seemed to be now, it made her heart give a measurable thud against the wall of her sternum. As her heart began to quicken its pace, her amber eyes searched for the face she longed to see.

She was not kept waiting long, as a tall man stepped into view and began making his way down the corridor towards them. His dark hair was down to his shoulders now, and was fixed on top of his head with the royal ornament of the Fire Lord. The scar that forever branded him was still just as prominent as ever across the left side of his face, but that face was now leaner; sharper. His face had become more angled, much like Raya's, and age had done much to eradicate the softness of adolescence. She couldn't tell much in the way of muscle, as he flowing robes obscured much of those features, but his shoulders had definitely become broader.

Raya was so wrapped up in his transformation into adulthood that she had failed to see the frustration written across his face. And the fact that that face was immeasurably tired looking. She realized that an unconscious smile was resting across her pale lips at the sight of him, but it vanished the moment he spoke.

"What are you doing here?" He had come to stand a few paces before hew now, and while she had expected a myriad of outcomes, this was not one of them. Her face became a lost stare, and she tried grasping at words, but none would come forth.

"I sent for her." A gentle voice joined them, and it was vastly gentler than Zuko's. "Welcome, Demitar Raya." Raya turned to see that Ursa, Zuko's mother, had joined them in the Foyer. She was smiling kindly at the Demitar, and seemed to be the only one expecting her, let alone happy to see her.

"You had no right," Zuko snapped at his mother, and the harshness of his tone caused Raya to flinch.

"Calm down, Zuko," his mother said with the tone of firm affection only a mother could produce. Raya watched as Zuko's fists clenched.

"You can't stay here," he said with finality, deciding not to argue with his mother for the moment. Raya looked flabbergasted all over again as she looked in to his amber eyes. She searched them for anything other than frustration. She thought perhaps she saw a glimmer of some other emotion flash across his face at her obvious confusion and hurt, but he didn't let it last long enough for her to decide.

"She's come all this way," Ursa demanded, stepping up to fight for the Demitar, since she didn't seem to have the capacity to do so herself. "The least you can do is give her the night. Let her rest, feed her dragon, and then – if you still wish it – in the morning she will leave." Ursa stood with all the grace of a Fire Lady, and Raya wondered how she survived so many years at Ozai's side. He was a complete monster, and Ursa was everything he wasn't.

"Fine," Zuko said suddenly, and she could see that he had reached his limit for argument today. His answer was clipped and short, his face betraying no other emotion than agitation. He didn't even stay long enough to exchange a single word more. He had turned, his robes flying around him, and begun his journey into other parts of the palace, away from the commotion.

Raya blinked, her eyes wide with confusion. She looked at the ground, and tried to compose herself. What had just happened? She couldn't even begin to process what had just transpired between her and the members of the royal family; especially with so many eyes on her. Before she had time to collect herself fully, she felt Ursa take her arm in her own.

The slender woman began to lead the Demitar away from the foyer, down the grand corridor that Zuko had already long since disappeared into. Raya looked over, and admired the beauty she saw there. The once Fire Lady was, even at this age, so lovely that it made the Demitar feel a bit inferior. Her heart shaped face was soft around the edges, and her eyes were a deep brown that reminded Raya of dark, liquid topaz. Her hair was beginning to gray at the temples, but the rest of her head was covered by thick silken brown locks. She moved with the kind of poise that made it seem as though she were floating across the floor, instead of walking on two feet.

"I apologize for the less than warm welcome, Raya. I'm going to get this sorted out," Ursa said as they came to a stop. Raya looked up around herself, taking in her new surroundings, and realized they must be deep within the confines of the palace. There were chamber doors along the corridor they stood in, and the one they stood closest to was pulled open by a young servant. Raya wondered when the girl had joined them, or if she had simply been waiting there the whole time. "In the mean-time, please make yourself at home."

"Zuko . . ." was all Raya managed to say, but what she had wanted to say went more like, 'Why does he suddenly seem to hate me?'

"I will explain everything soon." With that promise, the Fire Lady was off down the corridor before Raya could even muster a full sentence. She looked after her, her brow furrowing in discontent, before she turned to the young girl. When her eyes landed on the youth, she bowed deeply and remained that way.

"You don't have to do that," Raya finally said as she moved into the room. The girl straightened and watched Raya make her entrance. The Demitar sat her bag slowly onto the elegant duvet that covered the bed she would be staying in, at least for the night. Its intricate sewing detailed the fire nation symbol and two dragons. She ran her hand over the silk absently as her mind raced.

Across the room she raised her eyes to the balcony that seemed to overlook one of the many gardens the palace was home to. She moved around the bed, and stepped out into the light of the dying sun. The horizon was alive with bright oranges and swaths of red, bathing the surrounding area in fiery hues. She gripped the stone railing at the edge of her balcony and looked down into the courtyard below her without really seeing it.

Unwelcome tears blurred the vision of her amber eyes and she shut them tightly. Her hands clenched over the stone beneath them and she felt the heat of each tear slide slowly down her pale cheeks. The overwhelming feelings of the moment that had transpired seemed to overtake her now, crashing into her with delay. She took a deep breath and felt the prodding of the Avatar in her mind; her fleeting moment of raw emotion had opened her connection unintentionally.

 _Aang . . ._

 _I take it you made it to the Fire Nation in one piece._

 _Feel more like pieces . . ._

 _What happened?_

 _I . . . I don't know. Zuko told me I can't stay here. It was Ursa, Aang. Ursa has been writing you. She's the one who brought me here._

 _So something is wrong, and he's not reaching out to us._

 _I think you're right, but –_

"Demitar Raya, Fire Lord Zuko requests permission to enter." Raya's head snapped around and she saw the young girl standing behind her. She hadn't realized that the young servant was meant to accompany her so closely. Raya would have to speak with someone about it, not that it would matter for long. She looked toward the door then, and only after she let go of the railing did she realize how tightly she had been holding on. She felt frozen to the spot, as though a water bender had iced her feet in place. "Demitar Raya . . .?" the young girl prodded again, and Raya's face became set in a blank stare.

"Okay," was all she could muster, and the servant moved to the door as Raya quickly dabbed the remains of her tears from her face.

 _Is everything okay?_

 _Zuko is about to pay me a personal visit._

The door swung open then to reveal a disgruntled Fire Lord. Zuko stepped into the room swiftly and commanded the girl to close the door behind him. She did so, only this time she closed herself out of the room. Raya looked at Zuko steadily, keeping her mind blank and calm. She thought that Aang may have been feeding her positive energy through their connection, because her heart was hammering even though the tempest of her mind was now a sea of calm.

"You can't stay here," Zuko said decidedly. She searched his face for any sign of emotion, but instead found herself lost in the lines she found there. He was still just as handsome as the last time she had seen him. Things about him had changed, but all for the better. Except for his temper, she noted, which seemed to have grown under the pressure of his job title.

"Why?" Raya said, her eyes holding his gaze. Her face became impassable and she realized she was beginning to mirror his agitation. Aggression and anger were not things that came easily to her, and after her training with the nomads, she had become someone who avoided confrontation. To be passive and gentle was her way, but now that she found herself turning her hurt into anger, she couldn't stop. Was this the fire in her blood finally making its presence known? Would it refuse to take a back seat to her air spirit any longer?

"I don't want you here," he countered, meeting her unwavering gaze with his own.

"You . . . Don't want me here?" she said slowly, her breath lingering on every word.

The pause between her question and the Fire Lords answer grew until she felt like she was going to burst. She wanted to scream, and felt the unrelenting power of her fire at her fingertips. It was like a prickling sensation that was building beneath her skin, seeking an exit; any exit. She finally faltered in her stare and her eyes turned to the ground. Her mind loomed over the words 'I don't want you' specifically, over and over.

"No," she finally heard from across the room.

"You told me once, that I would always have a home here," she said finally, trying not to let the hurt she felt seep into every letter of every word. When he didn't speak right away, she looked up to see he had turned away from her, making only a profile view of his face visible. She couldn't tell from the angle what might be going through his head, but her words seemed to have sparked something within him.

"I know . . ." he said finally.

"If something's wrong – Zuko I'm here to help you."

"I don't need your help, or Aangs, or anyone's," Zuko snapped at her, turning to face her again. His eyes were fiery once more as he spoke. Whatever softness she had managed to elicit from him was consumed by his frustration.

"Ursa seems to think you do," she snapped in return.

"My mother isn't the Fire Lord – I am." He said quickly with practiced authority. She turned her eyes down once again and felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. She was growing tired of their persistence, and the fact that Zuko was their reason for coming forth. She blinked them back, determined not to spill a single in his presence. He must have taken note of her being on the precipice of tears, however, because he became suddenly less tense and the anger evaporated from his face.

"Stay, if it really means that much to you," he said, his back now to her. He was turned toward the door. "But I'd rather you didn't."

"I'm staying," she said defiantly, something her passive nature never allowed her to be.

"Fine. You can't leave the palace grounds," he said in a clipped tone.

"Fine."

Before Raya could even process her next move, Zuko was a whirl of robes through the door; the resulting bang a highlight of the atmosphere left within the room. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding then, and stared down at the ground blankly.

 _Are you alright?_

 _No . . ._

Two small drops bloomed against the deep crimson carpet.

X

"This was one of Zuko's favorite places as a child."

Raya opened her eyes slowly as Ursa made her presence known. Raya, in her anger, hurt, and confusion, had gone to the only place she had ever known peace in the Fire Nation palace. The main courtyard housed a small pond that was home to several turtle-ducks. A fire maple, like the one she had known as a child before she was taken from her home, rested very near the water, and she sat beneath it in mediation.

It had taken her fifteen minutes to convince the Avatar that his presence was not needed there. He assured her that if anything went wrong, he could be there in less than a day's time, as he had left the Southern Pole for Republic City. She thanked him, and promised to keep him updated on the situation in the Fire Nation. He was needed elsewhere, and she could handle the problems here.

She just needed to figure out what those problems were. Personal problems aside, there were things transpiring in the Fire Nation that Zuko didn't feel he could share with her. She felt a fresh pit of anger begin to boil in her stomach at the thought. She was the Demitar; the one who's very birthright was to inherit the problems of others. Did he not trust her? She'd sought meditation to help clear her mind of these questions, but it only served to fill her with more.

"Lady Ursa. Forgive me, I didn't realize you were standing there," Raya offered as she relaxed her meditative position and made to stand.

"He would always come here when he was troubled. If I ever needed to find him, this was the first place I would look." Ursa moved toward the water and knelt there, her face a mask of reverie. She was clearly lost in another time that was filled with both the sweetest and bitterest memories of her life. "Please, don't be angry with him."

"I . . . I'm not. I just don't understand . . ." Raya said, trying to figure out how she wanted her words to come forth.

"I owe you an explanation," Ursa said, effectively silencing the confused Demitar. Ursa took a seat beside her and touched a light finger to the water, creating an endless cycle of ripples. The rings expanded outward into the water until they eventually dissipated. "Everything has an effect on everything else . . . I called you here because I'm afraid for Zuko."

"He does seem . . . different," Raya said searching for the word she wanted.

"Being the Fire Lord has taken its toll on him, but it's more than that. The Fire Nation has been at odds with itself since the end of the war. There are still those who are very loyal to Ozai. They believe that Zuko is weak for working with the other nations to bring peace to the world. The group has gained a lot of steam in the last few years, and an attempt was made on his life."

Raya was lost for words. So this was what was eating at him. He wanted to prove to the world that he was strong enough to hold everyone up on his shoulders. She knew that he was never the kind of person to reach out for help, but she had witnessed great change in him once. It was astounding to her that she had come to the Fire Nation to be met with a man who had completely regressed. What would Uncle have to say? She was suddenly determined to stay, now that she had a grasp on what she was needed for. Once she put the rebellious group to rest, she could leave, and the Fire Lord could go back to ruling his nation alone. She regretted the thought the second it was complete, but the sting of their earlier exchange still lingered.

"I won't leave until this is put to an end," Raya promised, her eyes fierce with determination.

"Thank you," Ursa said, looking away from Raya and back into the water. Raya couldn't help but feel that there was something she wasn't telling her. She pushed the concern aside and chalked it up to the fact that Ursa was immensely worried for her son. Raya could sympathize; what would she have done if she'd been arriving here for a funeral instead of a stay.

* * *

A/N: Well? For those of you wanting more romance between Zuko and Raya, it will come. Every good story needs friction, and Zuko is the perfect character for it. This is the set-up for the main plot of this book, and I'm eager to see your reactions as everything unfolds in the nation notorious for its secrets.


	17. Book II: Chapter III

Chapter III

The Fire Nation Demitar

"Ursa?" Raya called out tentatively as she stepped into the Southern Garden of the palace. It was the biggest garden housed by the palace, and in turn was where they kept Rai Jin. She could see the dragon off in a corner of the well landscaped area, and let her eyes wander the rest of the way around herself. The once Fire Lady had sent for her, but she was only told simply to find her in the Southern Garden.

"Over here," she heard from behind some thick shrubbery. She walked further into the thick of the garden, along a path that wound in and around various Fire Nation foliage. Once she was clear of the path, she found herself walking into an open expanse filled with blooming fire lilies and an intricate out door table. There she found Ursa seated with a smile, and the table set with tea.

"This garden is more like a jungle," Raya commented as she approached the table. Ursa gestured for her to have a seat and she did.

"It's large enough to lose yourself in, and sometimes that is all one wants in the palace. Thank you for joining me," she said, her smile kind. Raya could appreciate her genuine nature and the motherly affection she seemed to possess. Her years with Ozai didn't seem to cripple her spirit, and Raya interpreted that as a great strength. Maintaining steadfastness of self during trying circumstances was one of the greatest displays of strength.

"Thank you for having me," Raya said politely as Ursa poured a steaming cup of tea for her. She took note of the warming plate that the pot sat on, and remembered that the once Fire Lady was a non-bender. She watched Ursa carefully as she accepted the cup and considered the fact that she was a descendant of Avatar Roku. She wished he had lived long enough for her to know him. She knew she needed only to look deep within herself for his help, or Kuyen's – the Demitar before her – but Roku was Fire Nation.

She needed the guidance of someone who had come from the land, who had had ties within the palace. How would he have handled the situation she found herself in?

"I know how isolating these palace walls can be," Ursa commented as she observed the Demitar deep in thought. Raya extracted herself from the tempest of her mind to look at the once Fire Lady.

"It wouldn't be as bad if I could leave," Raya replied absently, her eyes wandering over to her sleeping dragon. He was such a peaceful creature. Ursa followed her eyes and smiled.

"I never knew dragons were such sweet tempered beings."

"He is very sweet tempered. I have met some who are vastly more aggressive," Raya replied as her hand landed absently on her scar. There weren't many people outside of the Gaang and Zuko that knew of the tale that went with her dragon fire scar.

"I know his command seems unfair, but he means well," Ursa urged, waiting for Raya to look at her. Raya turned her head, and her amber eyes locked with the dark liquid topaz of Ursa's. She was sincere, and Raya felt the urge to understand behind them.

"Could have fooled me," Raya said, trying not to sound sour. She turned her head back toward the resting dragon and her eyes scanned his saddle. There were all kinds of things still hanging from them. She made a mental note to free him of the leather object in the near future, since she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon that warranted the thing to remain in place. That was when her eyes fell on it.

"It must be incredible. To fly, that is," Ursa said as she watched Raya. She must have assumed the Demitar was daydreaming about being in flight upon the dragons back. Raya realized that silence began to linger over them.

"It really is," she finally said, no longer invested in the conversation. She had a plan.

X

She rustled through her bag quickly as night fell on the courtyard that her balcony overlooked. She had to make sure she left under the cover of night, but with enough time to gather the intel she sought. Initially, she had only discovered her way out of the palace by letting her eyes linger on her staff; she couldn't waltz out the front door, or take to the skies with Rai Jin, but she didn't need to. She was an airbender after all; the spirit of freedom. She didn't need a dragon to fly.

The problem then became what she needed to do once she left the palace walls under the cover of night. It wasn't obvious to her at first, but she overheard two guards talking about rough and tumble taverns in the city that sounded like the perfect place to discuss seedy business. So she was decided; she was going to fly out of the palace grounds and out into the city in disguise.

As her train of thought finished, she pulled out what she had been looking for. She never thought she would be using it for this, but it served its purpose perfectly as she looked at herself in the mirror. She stood, lean and tall in a pair of fire nation trousers, a long sleeved, non-descript top, and her white locks braided loosely over her shoulder. She had taken down her bun and tucked the crowned prince's ornament away carefully, not wanting to draw any kind of attention to herself. The final touch was the sash that, normally worn around her waist to tie her casual robe shut, now covered the blue arrow of her forehead.

She shifted it around a bit to make sure that it was secure, and then took in her full image. It was strange, not to see the blue arrow staring back at her. It was an intrinsic part of her identity, and somehow she felt naked without it. For a moment she wondered if this were who she would be looking at in the mirror if she had been graced with any other element than air to accompany her fire. Strange.

She grabbed a long cloak that hung against the wall, tearing herself from her needless lines of questions and thoughts. There were more pressing matters to attend to now, and she was working with a time constraint. She glanced around the room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything and then made her way to the balcony. There would be no hallways involved in her escapade, but instead rooftops. She needed to make it to the Southern Garden without detection.

The Demitar leapt easily down into the courtyard, her eyes scanning the area for signs of life. Her airbending allowed her to land and move in pure silence among the foliage and paths. With a few more leaps and bounds she found herself navigating the rooftops. She wasn't entirely sure where she was going, but she tried to follow the direction the roof tops took in correlation with the hallways below. The palace seemed to become larger every time she found herself there.

Finally, the large white dragon came into view, and she smiled as she leapt down into the Southern Gardens without a sound. Her dragon was accustomed to her unnatural silence, and could smell her in the air, causing him to open two jade eyes. He watched her move toward him, thick tendrils of smoke wafting from his large nostrils. She placed two gentle hands on his massive snout and scratched.

"Hey buddy," she said softly as she moved around him to his saddle. She unfastened her staff and clicked it open, inspecting the integrity of the instrument. The monks really were master craftsmen. The wood and fabrics were over a century old and yet everything about them still functioned as though it were brand new. Rai Jin began to stand and she patted his shoulder soothingly. "Not this time, Rai. I've gotta take this one on my own."

With a quick step, she tossed the glider out into the air and leapt up into it.

X

"Instead of pushing her away, you should talk to her," Ursa urged her son as she stood in the doorway of his study. He could find peace nowhere in the walls of his palace. Even in his own chambers he only managed a few hours of decent sleep every night. Ever since the attempt, his life had been transformed into a stressful deluge of remaining alert and untrusting.

"I can handle this without her," Zuko muttered, his tone short. He was pretending to be absorbed by the scroll in his hands, but the truth was his mother was hitting a sore spot.

"You care for her a great deal," Ursa stated, making Zuko put the scroll down to look his mother in the eyes. She was right; she was always right. It was no secret to her the affection he held for the Demitar, even though his actions toward her in the past few days vehemently suggested otherwise.

"Which is why she should be anywhere but here," Zuko said evenly, holding Ursa's gaze. She looked down then, and turned to exit.

"Sleep soon, you look tired," she said, her parting words forever holding the tone of motherly affection. Zuko sighed and leaned back in his chair as the door clicked shut. Maybe he had been too hard on the Demitar. The look on her face as he told her he didn't want her there played in his mind over and over when he had a spare moment to think about anything but being the Fire Lord. It sent a miserable pang through his chest.

Three years of absence and he greets her with harsh words and anger; as though she were the reason for his misery. Perhaps Ursa was right, he had went about trying to make her leave the entirely wrong way. But the second he heard that Rai Jin was flying into the city limits, he panicked. He hated to admit that to himself, but it was true, and that panic turned into anger as he saw her lovely face and amber eyes looking toward him with that gentle smile.

He leaned forward over the desk and placed a hand against his forehead, the other resting in a fist against the scattered parchment before him. How could he make her understand without revealing everything he was working to keep from her and Aang? He was the leader of an entire nation, and he needed to prove to them that he was strong. Stronger than Ozai would ever be, but in a different way. He knew that the years following the war would be filled with difficult tasks and turmoil, but he never considered how hard it would truly be on him.

Perhaps he owed her more than he had given her in her chambers. He wouldn't give her any information, but an apology. Her face appeared before him again, standing in her chamber. She looked so uncertain, like a creature shied by a bite. He hated himself for being the reason for that look. And she had been crying, also his fault. He stood then; decided.

He had no idea what he was going to say to her, or if she would even see him after everything he had said, but he had to try. It had been three days since she had arrived, and they hadn't spoken since. In fact, she seemed to avoid being anywhere he was at all costs. She ate breakfast early before meditation, and took dinner late in the evenings after the rest of the royal family had already finished. He had been looking forward to at least seeing her, to drink in the face he missed, but she made it clear that wouldn't be happening. He deserved it.

"You're dismissed," he said to the young chamber maid outside of Raya's door. She bowed low before scurrying off down the hall. He turned to the door and swallowed. What was he going to say? He hadn't thought of anything on his walk down here, and still drew a blank. "Raya . . ." he said finally, giving the door a tentative knock. There was no answer, but the door wasn't fully shut. He knocked again which caused it to become slightly ajar.

"Raya, can we talk?" he asked into the door and pushed it forward slowly, making sure he had time to rescind the gesture if she wasn't decent or refused to see him. But nothing happened. Not a word met him from the other side of the door and his brow furrowed as she pushed the door open the rest of the way. "Raya?" he called out into the room. Nothing. Was she meditating? There was no way, it was too late for that. She meditated at sun rise and sunset.

Trying not to jump to conclusions, he walked quickly to the Southern Garden. He had a hunch, and prayed to the spirits he was wrong. His robes billowed out behind him as he kept a rapid pace, fists clenched.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" Two guards near the corridor that lead to the Southern Garden bowed deeply. "Would you like an escort, My Lord?"

"No." Zuko tried to keep his tone level but was starting to panic. Had they taken her? She wouldn't leave and blatantly disobey him, would she? Maybe she would, after the way he treated her. The storm of his mind was put to rest quickly when he saw that the dragon was still resting peacefully where he'd been since they'd arrived. He sighed, still worried that she was nowhere to be found, but felt a little more at ease with the dragon still there. She wouldn't go far without him.

Or maybe she would. He looked over the saddle as he approached the dragon to see one vital piece missing. Her staff. He yelled in frustration, and flames shot from the back of his clenched fists.

X

The night enveloped her perfectly as she made her way out of the palace grounds. She flew just to the outskirts of the market district and stashed her staff quickly amongst some bushes. The coast seemed clear and she began walking out into the street as she navigated a narrow alley way. Only a few people dotted the street, and no one seemed to pay her any mind as she walked.

She began to wonder how she was going to find a rough and tumble tavern. As though by way of divine intervention, one came into sight. She paused under the sign and looked up as it hung precariously from its hinges. The 'Doused Flame' seemed like a good place to start. Everything about it screamed seedy; the kind of place undesirables went to discuss private affairs. She pushed the door open and made her way inside, trying to inspect her surroundings without drawing attention to herself.

She picked a table against the wall where she felt she could observed the interior with the least amount of suspicion. A few men at the table of to her left eyed her carefully and then went back to their business when she acknowledged them. They looked like the kind of guys you didn't want to tangle with no matter who you were. She kept her eyes down and her ears open.

"What'll it be?" a rough voice came from above her. She kept her amber eyes faced downward as she spoke to the woman.

"Fire water," she said, keeping herself from adding please. This wasn't the kind of place where polite etiquette lived. The woman was gone for less than thirty seconds before she returned to the table with a glass and a small bottle of light orange liquid. Fire water was the only drink she actually knew of. She'd never been a drinking person, especially after taking her vows with the air nomads.

Raya let a few coins down on the surface of the table, and the woman scraped them up before moving on. She relaxed a little, and with her hood still up, poured a bit of the liquid into the glass before her. She brought the glass up to her mouth and sniffed. It was strong, and the liquid gave off fumes that made her nose twitch. Resisting the urge to make a face, she took a sip and blanched. She put the glass down quickly, her hand raising to her mouth.

She suppressed a few coughs and looked around quickly. The men at the table to her right had been watching this transpire, but looked away again as Raya caught them. She cleared her throat as quietly as she could before pushing the glass away. No more of that.

"The abandoned warehouse, near the bay? That's so far . . ."

"Shut up, idiot. It's safer to meet out of the capital city. The Fire Lord has had all kinds of eyes on the place since Huien failed to-"

"Shh, speak any louder and you'll be inviting the whole place to join in on this conversation . . ."

Raya perked up as their words drifted over to her. What they said sounded promising, but they had already hushed their words to the point where she couldn't easily make out what they were saying without making it obvious that she was listening. She decided to wait until they left to follow them. Maybe she could learn more from their destination and hear them more easily out in the streets.

It wasn't much longer until the three men stepped away from their table, the largest of them tossing a few silver pieces down. The woman that had served her gave them a grunt in place of a goodbye and the three of them stalked out the door on the other side of the room. Raya waited for a moment before standing as well, leaving a gold piece in her wake. She was given the same non-descript grunt as the three men and stepped out of the door into the night.

The air was cool, but it was still summer, and the heat of the day still lingered in the air. She glanced around herself slowly and realized the men were taking a right down an alley at the end of the building. She waited a moment longer before making to follow them. She stepped around the corner of the alley to find that they were nowhere in sight. She had been too slow, and they had already exited out the other end. She cursed herself quietly and began to walk to the end of the alley to see if she could still catch them.

As she stepped forward two men landed hard in front of her, blocking her way. She heard another pair of feet hit the ground behind her and turned to see him take a step toward her. He was easily the largest of the group, standing more than a foot taller than she was. She backed toward one of the opposing walls so that she could keep her eyes on all three of them.

"Well well, if it isn't the Demitar herself," the largest man said with a smirk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Raya said, trying to play dumb.

"No sense lying, I saw the tattoos on your hands." Damn. Double damn. Why didn't she think to wear gloves? She pictured them laying across her duvet; the only thing she had forgotten. It was too late to dwell on it as they took a step forward. She felt her back press against the cool stone of the building behind her and raised two hands before herself.

"Okay, you got me. I'm not looking for a fight," she said. She didn't understand why they were being so aggressive toward her. She was just the Demitar out doing her Demitar thing. They had no reason to fight with her; though she had been following them.

"That's a shame, because you found one," he said, and one of the smaller men lunged toward her. She dodged him easily enough, but the second man was coming at her just as quickly with flames at his finger-tips. She made to block them, but a figure dressed entirely in black leapt down into the alley and with a flick of their wrist sent the fire up and away from her. Raya looked towards her savior to identify them, wondering what stranger might come to her aid, but it was no stranger at all.

"Zuko . . ." Raya felt her heart quiver and he looked back at her quickly.

"Are you alright?" She nodded in response to his question and saw worry instead of the anger she expected written across his face. Another fire blast erupted at the two of them and Raya quickly deflected it.

"What do you know, boys? The Fire Lord and the Demitar, standing right here for the taking. It's our lucky day," the biggest man said, and he reached out quickly for Raya's arm. She avoided once again, her air nomad style of avoid and evade making her hard to catch.

"I don't think so," Zuko muttered as he sent a blast of fire out across the path of the two smaller men. They ducked, and Zuko took the opportunity to grab Raya's arm, directing her to leap with him up to the roof tops. She used a blast of air to propel herself and the Fire Lord up onto the roof.

"Don't just stand there! Get them!" she heard from below. It wasn't long before she heard clambering, and realized that they were pulling themselves up onto the rooftops. She glanced back and saw that they were making their way quickly after them.

"We have to get out of here," Zuko said quickly, turning to shoot a blast of fire back at them.

"On it," Raya said as she stopped dead in her tracks and took a deep breath. Zuko skidded to a halt and blinked in shock.

"Come on, what are you doing?" he said, watching as the men caught up to them. She ignored his urgency and placed her hands at her chin. When she exhaled, a blast of emerald flame erupted into the night sky, covering the surrounding area in green light. The blast flew several meters into the sky, and she hoped it would be enough. She finished the move and felt Zuko grasp her arm. He tugged her along, and she began running with him again. "Are you insane? If you're going to firebend, do it at them!" Zuko said with frustration.

She didn't have time to respond as a jet of flame shot passed her. She felt it graze her arm, and the resulting burn caused her to cry out. She turned and with a rapid motion sent a gale of air streaming into the men, knocking them backwards. She continued on quickly, her eyes scanning the skies as she did so. The roof tops ran out suddenly, and she stumbled on the edge. Zuko's hand shot out and grabbed her, steadying the Demitar as she back pedaled.

"We're going to have to fight."

"No, we're not," Raya said, eyes sky ward. Zuko deflected a blast of flame and the three men were very near. Without warning, the Demitar wrapped her arms tightly around Zuko's waist, and instructed him to hold on. He looked at her, his amber eyes a cloud of confusion. She realized in that moment that he was only a couple inches taller than her; their eyes met easily. She bent her knees slightly, and as soon as he realized she was about to jump, she felt his arms grasp her tightly.

With a blast of air, she propelled them up into the air high above the men on the roof tops. Another blast of fire shot towards them, and she let an air blast knock it off course as her other hand reached up. Suddenly, a large white dragon swooped within her grasp, and she closed her hand on a saddle strap. Rai Jin gave a disgruntled rumble as he pulled the two upward and away from the danger.

X

"Are you crazy?" Zuko asked heatedly as they landed in the Southern Gardens. Rai Jin touched down gracefully, a small sweep of air disturbing the nearby plant life. Raya swung down easily and began to walk away from him. She heard him slide down Rai Jin's side and approach her swiftly. A strong hand reached out and grabbed her arm, though it wasn't unkind. She paused and felt her fists clench.

A crimson sky was beginning to fill the skies above them, and Raya felt her frustration at the Fire Lord begin to mount. She pulled her shoulder out of his grasp and turned to face him, eyes hard. "Ursa told me everything!"

"Did she? Did she also mention that the same people that tried to take my life would be thrilled to see your head delivered on a silver platter? Did she tell you what kind of danger you're in by being here at all? You shouldn't be here, Raya! Why do you think I forbid you from leaving the palace grounds? It's not safe out there!" He shouted. The flood gates of his temper had burst with the stress of the past two hours. "Those men we just left on the roof tops back there? They're called Loyalists, Raya. They are completely devoted to my power hungry father. If they'd have captured you . . ." He trailed off as though the thought was too painful to even present hypothetically.

"I can take care of myself! I'm the Demitar, remember?" Raya threw at him as she turned to walk away again.

"I would believe that if you acted like the firebender you supposedly are! I'd believe it if you used fire half as much as you used your airbending! All you do is run and duck and dodge, but you never fight! You didn't even fight my father until you were pushed into the Avatar state; even then you tried to solve your problems with words and avoidance. There are things in life that have to be solved directly, with force. Not everyone wants to sit down and listen to what their enemy has to say; all they know is that they want you dead, and they won't stop until it becomes a reality," Zuko said, his voice waning as he watched her carefully. What would he have done if he couldn't have protected her back there? What would he do now if he had let the Demitar die?

"I'm an airbender, Zuko. What do you want from me?" she asked in frustration as she turned to face him again. She didn't realize that he had been following close behind her, and she now stood with her face only a foot away from his.

"You are an airbender, but you're a firebender, too. You are from the Fire Nation, and you were born with fire inside of you, whether you think so or not. You can love the air nomads and you can try to be one as much as you want, but you will always be Raya, the Fire Nation Demitar."

* * *

A/N: Well, how's everyone feeling about the direction of the story? I tried my hand at a Zuko perspective; that scene felt important to the flow of the story. I'm trying to make the theme of the second book Raya confronting her Fire Nation heritage. Reviews are always welcome.


	18. Book II: Chapter IV

A/N: Happy Friday everyone. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter IV:

The Assassin

 _Can you believe he said that?_ Raya said in irritation. Her physical body sat under the fire maple in the main courtyard and dawn was creeping up over the land. She was very still, her breathing even, and detached. Her spirit rested in the spirit world, across from Aang's. Meeting in the spirit world was something the two had only recently perfected, but they could only accomplish it if they were both meditating. Fortunately for them, they both meditated at sunrise and sunset.

 _Maybe he's right . . ._ Aang said slowly. Raya shot him a confused glance.

 _You're agreeing with him?_

 _No . . . but yes. I don't agree with how he treated you, and I'm sorry he hurt you. But maybe he's right about your aversion to your firebending._

 _I don't have an aversion to firebending. I use it all the time. I used it last night to call for Rai Jin._ Raya folded her see through arms.

 _I know, but I can feel the way you avoid it until it becomes necessary. Direct link into your soul, remember?_

 _Being passive is the way of the nomad. It's the life I chose._

 _I understand that better than anyone, believe me. And I appreciate the fact that you don't turn to violence until there are no other options. But you're the Demitar, and a firebender. I spoke with a few of the Avatars before me, back when I was on my way to you to defeat Ozai, and all of them gave me the same word of advice, even Yang Chen: The Avatar and Demitar must set aside their spiritual needs and do what is right for the balance of the world. Sometimes, we have to set aside our own personal trials and beliefs to do what we must._

 _Maybe you're right . . . I used to love my firebending, even after I had awoken I loved it. But the more I saw of the fear people had for fire and firebenders because of the war . . . Maybe I have been shying away from it._

 _Just because you are a firebender doesn't mean you have to try to rule the world, or put aside your passive nature. But you do need to embrace the power in fire. You are Power. Maybe you need to rediscover what that means?_

She paused and averted her gaze from the see through Avatar.

 _. . . I hate it when you're right._

 _All in a day's work for-_

 _Don't say it._

X

The furious scratch of a pen against parchment was all that could be heard in the Demitar's room as the afternoon passed. She knew there was only one person she wanted to help her with her current mental block; potentially the only person that truly could understand and help her. There was no advice she respected more in the world aside from Aangs, and it would be nice to exchange words with one of her best Earth Kingdom companions.

She sat the pen down finally, and pulled the parchment up to tap it against the desk. Once the pages were even, she flipped through them, skimming the words she was about to send. She wasn't sure how long it would take, but made a note to put a rush on it. Signed and sealed, she took the parchment out to the young girl that stood by her door.

"Would you take this to the fire hawk keeper? Tell him this message is very important, please." Raya held the parcel out and the girl took it. She bowed and went off hurriedly down the hall.

"What was that?" She felt herself go slightly rigid, and with a sigh forced herself to relax. She heard the footsteps of the Fire Lord as he approached from behind her.

"Nothing, really. I promised Sokka I would write him," she replied casually as she turned to face him. He looked a bit perturbed, but let it go. She noted that he wasn't the usual fiery person he had been when she had arrived. After their quarrel in the Southern Garden a few days earlier, Raya had used her airbending to ascend into the nearest balcony. Fortunately it was an unoccupied room; she had been so flustered by the moment she didn't consider that she might be jumping in on someone. Her only concern in the moment was to be as far away from the Fire Lord as possible.

His eyes lingered on her silk white hair and she shifted uncomfortably. It took her a few moments to realize why: she no longer wore the crown prince's ornament. She hadn't gotten around to putting it back in after she'd gotten back from the tavern, and simply continued to braid her hair over her shoulder. This caused her to wonder if she had subconsciously been avoiding replacing the object to its usual resting place. Zuko finally tore his eyes away from her casual hair-do and found her amber ones.

"Come with me," he said finally, and walked passed her. She obliged after a moment of hesitation. The Demitar walked slightly behind, instead of beside him, and resisted the urge to ask of their destination. In time they came to a door in the palace that lead out into a foot beaten path. She cocked an eye brow and wondered why there were leaving the palace.

"We're leaving?"

"You said you wanted to help me, didn't you?"

"Well, yes, but you said I was forbidden to leave."

"My word didn't stop you the other night." He had a point.

"Right . . ."

"You know everything now. There's no sense in trying to protect you from it," he said in a clipped voice as he stepped out of the palace. She followed, falling into step beside him now.

"You don't have to pr-"

"I get it," Zuko said quickly, not bothering to look down at her.

The walk took about fifteen minutes, all of which happened in silence. The forest stirred slightly with the life of the various creatures that called it home. The air outside was humid, even though summer would soon be winding down into autumn. Raya looked forward to the change of the leaves in the fire maples. She loved the way the yellows brought forth by autumn transformed the trees into fire. The way the oranges, yellows, and reds moved in the wind made the trees become like living flames.

Before she had time to think further about the implications of the coming season, they were walking through two large stone pillars that connected to a thick stone wall. Two guards stationed on the ground at the base of each pillar bowed low to the two that entered the confines. The wall surrounded a place Raya knew well.

The Fire Nation prison that once held her loomed over the two. Raya looked down toward the ground as they walked and tried to push passed the memories that began to flood over her. The frequent visits she received from an angry young Fire Prince. The desperate escape she made with an angry Fire Prince.

"Let's go."

The Demitar realized suddenly that she had paused at the steps leading up to the door. Zuko was already half way up, and turned. He waited almost patiently for her to extract herself from her own thoughts, and when she did she visibly shook her head. It was a brief enough gesture that the Fire Lord wasn't sure he'd even seen it and she joined him. They ascended the rest of the steps and found their way to a particular cell.

Zuko motioned for the guard to stand down, and stepped up to open the large metal door. A familiar grating sound pierced the Demitar's ears and she watched as Zuko stepped forth. Raya didn't follow right away, and she felt a pit forming in her stomach. There was a sudden flash of mistrust bubbling beneath her surface, and she wondered what exactly was going on here. She watched as Zuko stepped back out enough to see her face.

"Raya," he said, voice even. She took a small breath and forced herself in. She felt tense and watched as Zuko sent two small flames into the lamps that hung on the walls within the metal door. The familiar bars at the back of the cell were something that haunted her memories, and she looked toward the shadow that rested within them. The dim light of Zuko's fire cast the shadow into view and she looked at Zuko, confused.

"Who is this?"

"Huein. My attempted assassin."

Raya looked down at the man again, trying to focus on his obscure features. There was still enough shadow in the room to make her squint in order to get a better look.

"Drug the Demitar in to try 'n make me crack? I ain't tellin' you nothin'," Huein said with a disinterested drawl. She felt her face harden as she looked down at him.

"No one's here to make you crack."

"Speak for yourself," Zuko said, his eyes a slight glare as he looked down at the man without pity. "You should feel lucky I spared your life at all."

"Shoulda just ended it when you had the flame in my face. There's no honor for me now; not in this life," Huein said irritably.

"You were going to kill him?" Raya asked, though she didn't really mean for it to be aloud.

"Coward. Both of you. Cowards."

"I don't know what I was thinking," Zuko said as he glared down at the almost assassin. He said he didn't know why he did it, but he knew exactly why: Raya wouldn't have done it. It would have hurt her to know that Zuko had taken a life, even if that person had tried to take his first. So he imprisoned him, for her sake. Even now, he didn't think he could kill the man, though he toyed with the idea.

"And you didn't . . ." Raya said, her voice contemplative. Zuko waited for her to say more, but she simply watched the man, her eyes curious now. He wished more than anything she would tell him what she were thinking, but he knew that wasn't going to happen; and he wasn't going to ask.

"It doesn't matter what you do or say, I won't talk," the man behind the iron bars said once again.

"We get it," Zuko said sharply, irritated already.

"Then leave. You don't have no business here," Huein said as he turned away from them. Zuko clenched his fists and looked as though he were about to explode. Before he could reprimand the prisoner for his insolence towards the Fire Lord, Raya touched is arm gently in an attempt to disarm him. To her relief the Fire Lord paused instantly under her touch, and she saw softness there that she hadn't seen since she'd stayed in the palace three years prior.

Raya pulled her hand back quickly, and gave him an encouraging smile. Zuko stiffened the second her hand left his arm, and turned swiftly.

"We're done here," Zuko said as he walked out of the cell. Raya followed suit and tried to keep up with the Fire Lords swift walk. She turned back to watch the guard slam the door shut, clicking as it locked once more.

"Why did you bring me here?" Raya asked quietly as they began their walk back to the palace.

"He's our only source of information about the Loyalists."

X

"I thought you might like something other than gruel to eat," Raya said gently as she sat down across from Huein. The only thing impeding her view of the man were the iron bars that once held her. She folded her legs and watched him patiently. He didn't touch the food she had brought him, or even bother to look at it.

"I told you before, I ain't gonna say nothin'. 'Specially not to no traitor."

"We don't have to speak," Raya said, and they sat in silence. The minutes ticked passed, and Raya sat in a patient mediation. Being still and quiet were two things she excelled at. She could hear Huein breathing, stirring, shifting, and moving. Her presence irritated him.

"What's the point of this?" he finally asked. Raya opened her amber eyes to find Huein glaring at her.

"Kindness for the sake of kindness," she replied simply.

"I tried to kill your precious Fire Lord, and I'd kill you if I could . . . and you come here with kindness, tryin' ta make me believe you don't have a reason for it . . . Master FaWei was right: You're weak. You are supposed to represent the Fire Nation, as our Demitar, but you are weak."

"I represent all Nations, and there is nothing weak about any of them. Including this one," Raya said calmly as she stood to leave. She repeated the name FaWei in her head as she did so. "Same time tomorrow?" she asked, not needing to turn around to know there would be an angry smile on the man's face.

Raya did return; again and again for several days. Huein seemed to soften to her gradually each time as she came baring various amenities to share with him such as teas, cakes, and fresh clothing. At first, he was nothing more than disgusted by her acts of kindness. He couldn't fathom a world in which people acted without an agenda.

Time and time again, though, Raya appeared baring gifts and asked for nothing in return. She never once asked for information, and found that he often gave it up willingly in small snippets without realizing it. She had successfully collected the lead conspirators name without even trying. What she really sought, however, was their meeting place. She knew from her recon in the tavern that they met outside of the capital city after Huein's failed assassination attempt, but nothing more. She needed specifics.

She relayed all the information that she collected to Zuko and let him do with it what he would. He thought she was only proving Huein and the Loyalists right by employing the use of kindness on the man, but as she returned with more and more useful information, he changed his tune. Things were still strained between them, however, and Raya never spent more time with him than it took to relate her findings.

"I didn't think it would really work," Zuko said as he moved some papers on his desk to make room for his newest endeavor. He had been recording everything Raya learned when she went to visit his almost assassin.

"Never underestimate the power of kindness," Raya said from the other side of his desk.

"You sound too much like Uncle sometimes," Zuko said absently. He had to admit that he missed the old man, and constantly found himself wanting to reach out for his guidance. He never seemed to be able to do it though. He promised Uncle a peaceful life in the Earth Kingdom, where he could live out his dream of running his own tea shop. But on the rare occasion that Raya sat with him in his office, she would say something that would make him yearn for the old general's presence.

"He's very wise, so thank you," Raya said.

"Not always," Zuko muttered, trying not to smile at the memory of the time Uncle had brewed tea from a flower that he knew had the potential to be poisonous. He took the chance anyways, which landed them in the home of a small Earth Kingdom family for help.

"So what've we got?" Raya asked as she watched him go over something slowly.

"The name has to be an alias. I've had a small team of investigators on it, and they've turned up nothing in particular."

"We need more. Someone who can get on the inside. Someone who would seem so obvious as a Loyalist they would never be suspected . . ." She watched Zuko pause then, and wondered what might be going through his mind.

"I think I know someone." Zuko's mind began to race at the possibilities this person opened up, but the question remained; was he willing to put her in that much danger? Would she even agree?

"Who?"

"Their father was arrested a few years ago for leading a small group of Ozai followers. He even resorted to kidnapping children. They'd be the perfect person to infiltrate the group; it would be more suspicious if they weren't part of the Loyalists. The motive is there."

"Who?" Raya pressed again. Zuko seemed particularly bent on avoiding the subject as he seemingly rambled.

"Mai."

X

"Demitar Raya, a message has arrived for you."

Raya was approaching her room slowly, the tides of her mind churning deeply in thought. She knew the plan that Zuko had just proposed made perfect sense, but she had her concerns. For one, she wasn't sure she wanted to put Mai in that kind of danger. She had once sacrificed a great deal for the once Fire Prince; was it fair to call on her once more? Especially now that she had no ties with him nor the palace. None that Raya was aware of, anyways.

The young chamber maid bowed deeply to Raya as she drew near. The Demitar accepted the message gratefully and instructed her not to bow like that anymore. She was accustomed to people paying their respects, but those who served the palace did it so often that it became unnerving. Raya didn't feel that simply because she was born into this position in life that it warranted such rituals. They could bow to Fire Lord Zuko that way, but she preferred not to be.

"Thank you," she said as she began to walk into her room in order to read the message privately. She heard the door shut behind her and the young chamber maid stood by the door patiently. She sighed inwardly and knew that no matter how many times she told the girl she didn't have to remain with her, she would still do it. Because they were Fire Lord Zuko's orders.

She blocked the girl out of her mind and focused solely on the message then. The script inside was clearly written by a practiced hand and she took in each word carefully. Her eyes lit up suddenly as she realized the implications of the parchment in her hand. Happiness began to swell within her, but in the same moment, so did concern.

She'd have to tell Zuko.

The Demitar found herself knocking tentatively on his door only a few hours after she finished reading her message. She had patiently waited and meditated on how she wanted to approach the subject. She had simply written in an attempt to gain some insight and advice on her firebending predicament, but now she was faced with an immanent visitor. The way she saw it, Zuko would either be glad of it, or angry that yet another person may be placed in harm's way.

"Enter," his voice came from the other side. She pushed the door open slowly and stepped in. His office was nothing new to her, but what he was doing within was. She found him seated on the floor off to the right of the room. He faced a wall that had nothing more than a table against it. On the table sat several candles of varying sizes, and they rose and fell with his breath. Their dim light extended over the room and then diminished repeatedly with each inhale and exhale. "Anything new from Huein?"

"No, nothing," she said. He stopped his meditation then and she watched him relax his posture a bit. The flames, no longer under the influence of his firebending, turned back into small flickers upon the wicks.

"What is it?" he asked. She had yet to pay him a visit purely for the sake of visiting, causing him even now to know that if she wasn't here to relay information, then she must have other business.

"The palace will be expecting a visitor soon," she said lightly, trying to keep herself casual.

"What? Who? When?"

"In a few days I expect," she said, avoiding the 'who'.

"Who, Raya?" He demanded, his voice taking on the qualities of the Fire Lord.

". . . General Iroh."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading guys, I hope you're still enjoying this story so far. You may have noticed at this point that I have incorporated some aspects of the graphic novels that followed the end of the animated series; some I have not. All things have been done for convenience and the sake of the story line.

Pronunciation guide:

Huein: Hoo – ay – een

FaWei: Fah - Way


	19. Book II: Chapter V

A/N: Here we begin to explore the themes that force Raya to address her Fire block. Can she reconcile her power and freedom?

* * *

Chapter V:

Enter the Dragon of the West

"Fire is the element of Power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will."

Uncle Iroh had arrived in the Fire nation only two days after the Demitar had received his response to her message. If the Fire Lord had been upset about his arrival, he didn't show it. While his demeanor at the front doors of the palace was reserved, the moment he laid eyes on the old general, he softened. They exchanged brief hugs and took tea together. Raya was so relieved to see the man that she felt the knot of tension at the base of her neck melt for the first time since she'd arrived, leaving a small sore spot behind.

While she lived in the Earth Kingdom, she had taken tea at Iroh's shop almost every day. She loved the tea, for there was no better quality in the city. No other tea shop poured as much love and genuine appreciation into their work as Iroh did. But she was also incredibly fond of the man. They shared so much in common that Raya was compelled to spend time with him in order to find comfort. He was such a peaceful man, as well as from the Fire Nation, and Raya knew that she could always count on him for sound advice about being a peaceful firebender.

The two of them sat in open expanse, below the stands, of the old Royal Agni Kai arena. It was a place that had gone unused since Zuko's rise to power. Raya wasn't sure that taking away such a long standing tradition from his people was necessary, even if she didn't agree with it. But she could understand his motive behind the dismissal of the sport. He told her once that perhaps one day it would be reestablished, once people could accept an outcome that didn't involve permanent scar tissue.

Tea steamed in a pot between the two firebenders, and Iroh was taking in the aroma with tender consideration. He had insisted that the key to a calm soul and clear thinking was to enjoy well-made tea whenever possible. While the Demitar had mastered firebending at the age of fourteen, over a hundred years ago now, there was no doubt in her mind that she needed to relearn the art. She knew every movement, how to conjure the best flame, and how to control her breathing. But somewhere along the way after her awakening, she had lost her respect for the element.

For months she stood by on her journey with the others and watched, listened, and witnessed the path of destruction it carved. For some reason, recently, when she thought of firebending, she could only picture Azula. Rage, power, and fear; Azula seemed to have become the new definition of the ultimate firebender. A prodigy, Zuko had once called her. Her flames came forth in their blue hue without the touch of a dragon.

"What do those things mean to you?" Iroh asked. Raya snapped out of her train of thought and looked up from her cup of jasmine tea slowly. Her mind was churning as she tried to summon an honest answer.

"Ferocity. Domination . . ." Raya finally said. These were the only things that came to mind now when she was forced to consider the meaning of power and will; bending others to your own will.

"Perhaps in some respects, those are the qualities these words may possess. But you have only listed the negative qualities. These traits have positive energy, too. Desire, will, and power are not exclusively negative."

Raya almost dropped her cup as she thought back to a time, over four years ago when she had told Sokka, 'Firebenders are not inherently evil.' She had defended herself and her element in the face of his accusations, until she witnessed that maybe there was more truth to his words than she dared admit. It was still true, however; firebenders were not inherently evil. She had to maintain that truth.

"In fact, it is the reconciliation of both the positive and negative energy that allows us to firebend. It is the life behind our breath that flows through our chi and extends past the limbs. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate this is to learn to create lightning." Iroh sat his tea cup down and looked toward the Demitar patiently. She must have made a strange face at the notion because Iroh simply gave a laugh.

"I'm sorry, but lightning is a pretty rare skill, isn't it?"

"The royal family would have you think that, because what would we do if every firebender gained the ability to bend lightning?" he replied, his eyes soft. She understood what he meant. It was a suppression tactic. Not to mention that it would cost a fortune to hire a master to train the average firebender to create lightning.

"Zuko can't do it . . ." Raya acknowledged aloud without really meaning to.

"You're right; not just anyone can do it. But perhaps a Demitar touched by a dragon can."

X

"Thank you again, I know we're asking a lot," Zuko said as he and Mai made their way through the Fire Palace. She stood beside him with her usual apathetic demeanor. She had aged slightly since the last time he'd seen her, but who hadn't? Her face had grown sharper, and a bit narrower, but she retained all of the qualities that marked her. The long black hair with two side knots, her disinterested expression, and her slender frame all remained through the years. Zuko had to admit he wasn't really surprised.

"Don't mention it," she said in her never ending monotone. It made it incredibly hard to distinguish when she was being sincere. The Fire Lord decided it was best to assume she meant it and leave it at that.

They finally approached the door that held the Demitar behind it, but when Zuko sought entrance, he found that it was empty. He wasn't upset, however, as he knew that Iroh was most likely with her. They had been working together a lot since the old general's arrival. Zuko had initially been worried about his uncles coming to the capital; there was a lot going on and the Fire Lord felt like he had control over just about none of it. The second he had laid eyes on the old man, his heart felt full to bursting. A wave of relief washed over him and he was grateful for his uncle's presence.

Raya, he had noticed, seemed to be just as happy to see Iroh. She leapt toward him and embraced him as though they were old friends. The truth was that they were close friends, as Raya was a regular patron at his tea house. She had glanced back at Zuko to see how angry he was at her, but the truth was, he wasn't. He was also getting tired of drawing those kinds of reactions from the Demitar. He did it to himself though, and it was something he would have to address when time allowed.

Now was not that time.

"I'm looking for the Demitar. Where is she?" Zuko addressed a guard at the end of the hall. The guard bowed deeply.

"The old Agni Kai arena, My Lord-"

"What?!" was all the Fire Lord could muster as a panic fluttered in his chest. He didn't even give the guard time to finish as he raced off toward the arena. The words Agni Kai always sent a small shiver of discomfort down his spine, but the thought of Raya in the arena made his skin crawl. Mai looked after him, the look in her eyes that of almost boredom.

Zuko rounded corner after corner, his long legs carrying him as fast as they could without breaking into a run. Agni Kai's didn't happen anymore, not under his rule.

Finally he found himself pushing through double doors that lead into the royal arena. It was empty, though his mind flashed with the image of a crowd, and his father standing over him. He was on one of the decks of the arena, and ran to the edge of the balcony that looked down into the pit. There in the center of the arena was Raya, wearing a pair of Fire Nation colored trousers, and a top that was cut off at the sleeves.

Her strong arms were moving gracefully through the air as she practiced motions with the man beside her. Iroh was guiding her, taking the same steps and making the same movements as the Demitar. Zuko's panic had settled immediately as he realized he'd over reacted. The movements that he watched became familiar to him, and he realized in an instant what Iroh was teaching her. Could she really do it? Even after all this time, Zuko still couldn't produce lightning; something he had come to terms with a long time ago.

"She's pretty." Mai's apathetic drone came from behind him. He turned to watch as she joined him. She looked down over the balcony, her arms crossed over her torso casually. Zuko had no idea how to respond to that. He wasn't sure if she was making a genuine observation or prodding him, so he chose to remain silent.

~o~

"In order to create lightning, we must first disrupt the energy in our body by separating the positive from the negative." Iroh moved his hands in a motion that Raya recognized: a move that redirected lightning. Now she had to find it in herself to create it. She struggled with the thoughts of when she would ever use such a tactic, but pushed it from her mind. In this moment she needed to focus on what it represented. Positive and negative. Yin and Yan.

"Follow your chi paths. Feel the energy swirling within your stomach; the point of energies creation." As iroh spoke, he moved through a few motions, and Raya watched in amazement as sparks of electricity began to flicker at his fingertips. "Then, focus on that energy, the good and the bad. And pull it apart. Then, as you allow it to collide back together, guide it out of your body."

A large bolt of lightning erupted from the end of his two pointed fingers and shot off into the atmosphere. Raya watched with admiration, ready to try it herself.

"I'm ready," Raya said as she took the stance Iroh had taught her.

"Remember, you do not control this energy. Only guide it. The positive cannot exist without the negative, and so when you release the two they will rush back together without hesitation. You must be prepared to handle that energy." Iroh stood back as he delivered his warning. Raya merely nodded in acknowledgement.

She sent one hand through the air slowly, feeling the energy in her body; the movement of the chi through every pathway in her body. The other hand made its circle through the air before her next, and she began to feel for the positive and negative. It was difficult at first, as all the energy felt the same. As she reached inward, however, she began to notice the slight differences in the energy swirling within her. She reached for the two energies and began to pull them from each other.

She felt a rush of static building under her skin. The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand up as she moved her arms a final time to complete the movement. Her eyes were closed in concentration, and she opened them finally to see where she would direct the energy. Once she felt she had done what Iroh had instructed, she released the two energies so that they could come together.

A small explosion sounded at the tips of her extended fingers and she stumbled back. Instead of lightning she had simply produced a cloud of smoke punctuated with a bang. She pulled her arm into her chest and held it as she steadied herself. Heat and soreness radiated up it.

"I couldn't do it . . ." Raya said, trying to hide the defeat in her voice.

"You couldn't do it _that time_. Try again. And remember, you are guiding the energy only. Not producing it. Breath and try again."

Raya nodded slowly and looked down at her hands as she extended them out before herself. The arm that was sore looked a bit red and irritated. She swallowed and took a deep breath. As she exhaled, a puff of flame emitted from her nostrils. With a new determination, she made the motions again, reaching inward again, and separated the energies again.

As the power traveled up her arm from out of her stomach, she breathed again, and instead of feeling as though she were creating the lightning, she simply let it flow up her arm. There were sparks at her finger tips, and the static feeling returned, covering her entire body. With a cracking sound, some electricity poured from her pointed fingers before blowing up once again.

She stumbled back once more and grabbed her arm. The soreness turned to pain and she looked down at her arm with irritation.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. It was right there."

"You are hesitating. In firebending, we must think, and calculate. But once we create the fire, we must not hesitate to release that power. I believe we have found the source of your problem."

"I mastered firebending years ago. I know how to firebend. It comes to me without thinking about it."

"But you do think about it. You over think it. I can see it on your face." Iroh was watching her patiently, and she thought for a moment that he was beginning to sound like Aang. The old general seemed to be able to read her like a book; no spiritual connection needed.

"Duel me." She turned quickly to see that the Fire Lord had entered the arena. She looked around and saw a woman with long black hair still high above on the balcony. When had they appeared there? Zuko approached her and Iroh, tossing his shirt off into the dirt revealing the scar that lightning had given him; Azula had given him. His muscles rippled over him, and she had to wonder when he found the time to maintain his physique.

"What?"

"You're frustrated; pulled out of your monk mindset. Duel me as a firebender."

Raya turned to Iroh quickly to see that the old man was deep in thought. As she watched him, he stepped back and nodded to the both of them.

"Fine," Raya said, her agitation growing. Why were they all so insistent upon drawing out the fire within her? She was an excellent firebender, wasn't that enough? Would no one be satisfied until she wielded her power in the face of others? She had no desire to conquer anyone in any sense of the word, and yet it seemed that was all that was asked of her as the Demitar.

"Like you mean it," Zuko said as he took a stance at the other end of the arena. Raya stepped back and took a beginning stance as well. Uncle backed toward the wall and sat, taking up another cup of tea. There was no time that didn't call for a steaming cup of jasmine.

A lengthy inhale was heard simultaneously from both of them, and then Zuko moved forward quickly, cleaving a line of fire through the earth toward her. She moved both of her hands up through the air creating an emerald wall of fire before her. Zuko's fire slammed into the green wall and dissipated. When the wall dropped, she saw the Fire Lord moving quickly toward her.

Two balls of flame erupted toward her and she dodged one while blocking the other, sending herself to the side. She darted around him and leapt over a low line of flame he sent out to trip her up. She was doing it again. Dodging. She had thrown no punches, and could see that Zuko had that knowing look in his eyes. She was proving him right.

'Like I mean it . . .' she thought to herself as she quit backing away and took a firm stance in the dirt. She breathed deeply and let two shots come at her. She blocked the first, then the second before ducking low and sending sweeping wave of flame across the arena. Zuko front flipped over it and shot flame toward her. She twisted out of the flames path and sent her own back.

"With passion, but a clear head. Do not confuse your frustration for power; bend only from the breath," Iroh instructed. To whom she did not know, but she hardly had time to care as Zuko swept waves of low flame toward her to throw her off balance. She resisted the urge to airbend and instead met his flames head on, separating the heat around herself.

Zuko was laying it on thick, and she hardly had any openings to fight back. The fight became real in that moment. It felt like the man she faced was no longer someone with whom she was having a friendly duel, but a challenger; an enemy. A pang of adrenaline hit her, and the acrid taste bloomed in the back of her throat.

Raya took a step back as he leapt toward her and sent out an unbearably strong flame. The continuous stream swallowed her and she felt something break within herself . . .

As it seemed that Raya was overtaken by Zuko's powerful blow, he began to back off. Before he had the chance, though, a massive sphere of green flame erupted from Raya's center, and pushed Zuko's fire rapidly back. The swirling green exploded from her and Zuko was blown back to the other side of the Arena. As he righted himself, two, then three, then four blasts of fire hurtled towards him. He barely had enough time to block all of them before Raya was directly over him.

He raised his hands quickly, but it was too late. She had a flat hand, palm up pointed at his throat. He looked down at her gently and saw eyes that he never had before. They were hard, and devoid of the passive nature that he had always seen there. It was replaced now by unyielding ferocity. She was more powerful than he had ever given her credit for physically. It was hard to know what kind of creature lay beneath the sea of calm.

"You brought forth your power, but sacrificed control," Iroh commented from the side, still sipping his tea gently. "We must strive for balance."

Raya stepped back from Zuko who brushed himself off and looked at her with new eyes. She felt odd under their gaze and straightened herself. The power of her flames still radiated through her body and had to breathe deeply in order to make it dissipate.

"You dueled like . . ."

"Like I meant it."

"Like a firebender."

X

"It's nice to officially meet you," Raya said with a small bow towards the black haired woman. Zuko had informed her earlier that Mai was not a bender, but still incredibly skilled in defense and weaponry. Raya could appreciate a woman that could hold her own.

"Likewise," Mai replied in her usual monotone. This was going to be difficult for Raya to get used to. It was hard to tell when the woman was being genuine. She looked to Zuko for some guidance and he simply picked up the conversation.

"We all know why we're here. It's time to start gathering information on these Loyalists," Zuko said.

"I'll help you, as long as you keep your promise."

"You have my word."

"What promise?"

"Her family will be safe and well taken care of as long as I am the Fire Lord," Zuko said simply. It seemed like an easy enough thing to offer for the Fire Lord. It really only depended on how he defined 'well taken care of.' Raya pushed the thought aside; that was Zuko's problem and business to worry over, not hers.

"I know this is a lot to ask. I have no doubt this will be dangerous," Raya said finally as she observed Mai. If she were unsure or frightened, she didn't betray it.

"I've faced worse things," she said simply. Raya would never know how true that really was. Being one of the Fire Princess' best friends took its toll.

"We don't know much about them other than what we have gathered from Huein. Where they meet now is beyond his knowledge, so our first move is to make it into one of their meetings," Zuko said.

"And by 'we' you mean 'me.'" Mai leaned against the desk in Zuko's office casually.

"Right."

"Mother has heard whispers from a few customers that are supporters of the group. I don't think it will be hard to find out where they're meeting." Raya watched Mai with careful eyes and thought the girl looked rather fragile. She was sure that in certain airs she, too, seemed like a fragile individual; something she had proved to the Fire Lord only hours ago was not the case. Perhaps she wasn't giving Mai enough credit. It tugged at her, though, to know that they were sending this girl into the lion's den alone.

"Once you have solid information, let us know." Zuko glanced at Raya as he spoke. Raya's heart fluttered a bit at the word 'us'.

"Will do," Mai said.

"It's time to end this," Zuko said, his eyes looking off absently. Everything was finally in motion for years of stress, anxiety, and caution to be put to their end.

* * *

A/N: Things are starting to build and we are on the precipice of confrontation with the Loyalists. Raya will discover their true leader, and comes face to face with someone from her very distant past (from the era of Fire Lord Sozin). Stay tuned as the Demitar's path unfolds, and as always reviews are genuinely appreciated. I hope everyone is still enjoying.

Next Chapter: The Loyalists


	20. Book II: Chapter VI

Chapter VI:

The Loyalists

"Once more," Iroh said from his seat at the edge of the old Royal Agni Kai arena. Raya and the Fire Lord obliged, sending long solid blasts of fire into the air. Raya was reminded of the times when she, Aang, and the once Prince Zuko would practice drills like they were doing now. It seemed like a simpler time, even though they were on the precipice of saving the world back then.

Raya had spent the week running drills with Iroh since the day he'd arrived in the Fire Nation. To the Demitar's surprise, Zuko decided to join them each day to practice and spar. It gave Raya the chance to really take in his presence; something she had not done since her first day back. The memory of watching him approach with anger written all over his face as she took in all the ways he had changed made her cringe a bit.

It had been the best and worst moment all at once. She missed him, and seeing him was something she had only dreamed about during her years in the Earth Kingdom.

Even though she now knew why she had received such a harsh greeting – if it could be called that at all – she still couldn't move past the fact that it hadn't been him who summoned her. She also wasn't sure where they now stood. Her feelings were still there, and she was sure of it every time their amber eyes met; every time he tossed his tunic aside to reveal a bare, lean torso; every time they accidentally came into brief contact; every time he said her name.

There was no doubt in her mind that there was still love in her heart for the Fire Lord, but she had yet to approach the subject. She hardly knew how. His days as the Fire Lord seemed to harden him; regress him slightly back into the hard and silent teenager she had once known. Not to mention the fact that he was almost always surrounded by someone.

If not the counselors, then Han Lee was ever present, or at least nearby. She wondered how irksome it must become to be constantly needed. The moment she completed the thought, she realized she herself should know exactly how it feels to be constantly needed. She was the Demitar; the world called upon her constantly.

"How many more times are we going to have to run this? What are we doing wrong?" Raya turned to see Zuko sweating slightly, his eyes focused.

"Wrong? Nothing; your movements are perfect! It's just important to stay in shape," Iroh said with a large grin. Zuko scowled and released his form. Before Zuko could say anything in return, Iroh continued. "You look tired. Come, sit and we will have a nice cup of tea."

Raya moved to sit with the old man, and Zuko surprisingly obliged without another word. Once they were seated, Iroh passed around two fresh hot cups, and Raya blew at the steam roiling off the top of hers. Zuko took a sip without consideration for the heat and made a face through the pain.

"Always in a hurry," Iroh observed, not unkindly.

"Some things never change," Raya joked.

"Sometimes we have no choice," Zuko said, pulling the cup away to blow on it.

"There is always time for tea," Iroh said, voice serious. "One should never rush with something so precious." Zuko deadpanned at the Oldman and Raya choked on some tea, stifling her laughter. There was silence for a moment longer before Iroh spoke again. "I've been meaning to ask you, Fire Lord Zuko; has there been any word on Azula lately?"

"No." Zuko's face grew a bit hard at the mention of his sister, and Raya could understand why. She'd been missing ever since Zuko found his mother. She wondered for a moment what it must be like to be forever tied to something so devastating.

"Iroh . . . Can I ask you something?" Raya said finally, her eyes moving up out of her cup and towards the old general.

"Of course."

"You're one of the greatest Fire Benders in the world, and one of the most spiritual ones, too. How do you move past what the Fire Nation did? How did you keep the war from making your fire seem like it's a bad thing?"

"Life is all about perception, young Demitar," Iroh began, looking toward her thoughtfully. "The way one person perceives the world is vastly different from the way others might. Only we can decide how we perceive the world, and ourselves. The energy you put out into the universe, is the energy that will come back."

Raya took his words in patiently. It had everything to do with perception. She had allowed the war to define her firebending, instead of holding onto the truths she already knew. It wasn't the way other people had used firebending that defined the element, it was the way she used it. Only she could define herself, and her bending, before the eyes of the world.

"Thank you," she said, her words sincere. She felt herself beginning to click slowly back into place. Things were starting to make sense once more, and she could feel balance replacing the fear and anxiety within her.

"Fire Lord Zuko." A man entered the arena and bowed low. Raya turned to see that it was a palace guard. Once he completed his bow, straightened up to his full height and said, "there's a woman here to see you. It's urgent."

X

"What do we have?" Zuko took a seat in his office, and Raya followed. Mai was already there waiting for the two. She had her arms folded, and was inspecting an object that hung on the Fire Lords wall. The decorative mask was intricately carved from ancient wood; its expression impassive.

"They meet tonight in a merchant warehouse, near the docks of Azulon's port," Mai answered simply. She always seemed less than enthusiastic, and Raya still had a hard time reading the Fire Lord's ex-girlfriend. Even so, she had mixed feelings about getting Mai involved with people who had the potential to be deadly.

"Excellent. Everything is going well," Zuko observed, leaning back in his chair a bit.

"Almost too well . . ." Raya said tentatively.

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, watching her carefully.

"What if they're onto us, and they're just playing along to get closer to you? Not that I'm accusing Mai of anything but . . . It's also a lot to ask of her, to go alone. I think," Raya hesitated and knew before she spoke that Zuko would disagree.

"Think what?"

"I should go with her."

"No."

"It's too dangerous for her to go alone."

"It's too dangerous for you to go with her."

"This is what I was born to do, Zuko. My whole life is facing danger so that others don't have to. Let me do this. Please," Raya implored.

There was silence between the two for a moment, and Mai shifted uncomfortably.

"If anyone cares what I think – I think the Demitar should go."

"I said no," Zuko said, his eyes becoming alight with irritation.

"If something goes wrong, at least one of us can come back and get help for the other. It doesn't make sense to go alone in this. I know you care about her, but use your common sense. Look past your feelings and see the logic in both of us going." Mai looked down at Zuko, her eyes hard. Raya had never seen anyone talk to the Fire Lord with such a lack of formality, and yet that seemed to be the least of Zuko's concerns.

He folded his hands before himself and rested his chin atop them. His eyes were intensely focused, and he glanced up at Raya. When their eyes locked, she felt a jolt of feeling run through her, and averted her gaze. Sooner or later she would need to face the feelings that lingered between them, but now would not be that time.

"Go then," Zuko said finally. Raya sensed a certain amount of defeat in his voice. His face, however, didn't betray that emotion, and he sat in his chair looking as impassive as ever.

X

"This way," Mai said as they moved through the dimly lit streets of the Fire Nation ports. Raya pulled her cloak hood further up over her head, and touched the fabric of the sash that was tied around her forehead. The leather gloves covered the arrows on her hands, and anyone passing by wouldn't know the Demitar from an ordinary citizen.

She followed Mai closely as they came upon the warehouse that was supposed to hold the Loyalists meeting. As they approached, Raya felt herself take a deep breath. A man waited at the door, leaning casually against the steel frame of the building. Mai and Raya stopped a few feet from him, and he stood to his full height. He wasn't much taller than the two women, and eyed them both suspiciously.

"Can I help you?" he asked, arms folding.

"Loyalty will not die in me," Mai said, holding her hands up. She bowed slightly with her hands in the traditional Fire Nation positions. Raya stared, stupidly as she watched. The man watched Raya expectantly until Mai elbowed her discretely.

"Oh – Uh – Loyalty will not die in me, either," Raya said hurriedly as she bowed as well. The man raised an eyebrow and watched them both for a moment longer before he waved them on. Raya released the breath she had been holding, and her gloved hands fell back to her sides.

"Bit warm for gloves, isn't it," the man said suddenly before they could begin walking past him. Mai shot the Demitar a quick glance, and Raya felt her mind working at rapid pace.

"Oh, gloves? These gloves? It's for my . . . dragon scale rash. Very contagious; wanna see?" She said, making the motion as if to pull back her glove; hoping that he would rescind his interest in the gloves before she revealed her tattooed hand.

"Gah. No. Just go," he said, waving them in and looking away from her hand in disgust. Raya felt her body physically relax as she tucked her arms back under her cloak.

"Quick thinking," Mai said, voice still monotone.

"Thanks," Raya said, keeping her eyes peeled. The building they entered was pretty typical as far as warehouses went. There were crates stacked along the walls that lead them into the main part of the warehouse. The high ceiling made room for even greater stacks of crates, and on the floor dozens of people gathered around a makeshift stage made of crates.

Mai and Raya shuffled into the group, keeping their heads low and their eyes down. Everything was going according to plan. That's when Raya's eyes fell on a young man only a few feet away. He was slightly obscured by a woman standing between them, but she wouldn't mistake that hair anywhere. Sure, white hair wasn't that uncommon on the elderly, but this man wasn't elderly at all. In fact, Raya was sure he was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

Kulo. Her mind raced as she took a step toward him, but a strong grip on her arm held her in place.

"What are you doing?" Mai hissed in a low tone at her side. Raya paused and looked away from the boy, her senses returning to her. It couldn't be him. There was simply no way. Even if he were alive now, he would be almost 120 years old. It just couldn't be.

"Nothing . . ." Raya whispered, but she couldn't take her eyes off the boys shockingly white hair. Her heart ached to see him fully. He looked so much like her brother would have if she'd have been able to see him grown. It caused a great sadness to bloom within her, and when the speakers finally came to the stage, she had to force herself to focus on it.

"Welcome! Everyone standing in this room before me is a true brother and sister of mine, and of this Nation. For too long we have lived under the weak and passive rule of Fire Lord Zuko, while our true ruler sits in a prison cell! And now he calls upon the help of our disgrace of a Demitar to usher in more peace. How much more does the Fire Nation have to roll over to the other nations?!"

Raya looked hard at the man, but his face was obscured by the cover of a cloak, and all she could make out were shadows. Cheers rang out around the Demitar as the true Loyalists applauded the man's words. The Demitar's eyes floated back and forth between the man on the stage and the white haired boy in the room with them. She knew she was supposed to be listening as much as Mai was, but she was at a loss.

"Let's go," Mai said, tugging at her arm lightly. Raya tore her eyes away from the boy and noticed that everyone was filing out of the room. The meeting was over, and Raya had hardly heard a word of it. She fell in step beside Mai, and the two of them made their way back out of the building.

Things went more smoothly than Raya could have anticipated and as she stepped out into the night air, she caught sight of the shockingly white hair again. The man was making his way down the street, and glanced back towards them as they walked. Raya paused, and as the man looked away from her, he ducked into an alley. She hesitated for a moment longer and then began to follow.

"Where are you going?" Mai asked quickly, trying to follow.

"I have to do something. Take everything you know back to Zuko. I'll be fine," Raya said as she kept moving.

"But . . . Zuko's going to kill me," Mai said, her face deadpan as she watched Raya disappear into the darkness.

The Demitar walked slowly into the alleyway and at the other end, the man was standing. He watched her carefully and she began to approach him until she felt sharp jabs in her arms and back. A yell escaped her lips as she turned to see her attackers. Two men in black, with covered faces, were stepping lightly around her. Another jab went toward her and she dodged it, only to step into the path of the other attackers jabs.

Her legs went limp and she fell to her knees. Her arms were useless and as she fell to the ground, she looked up to see the white haired man approaching her slowly. He looked so much like her brother; his nose, his eyes, his mouth.

"Kulo . . ." she choked out as a jab landed at the base of her skull and everything went dark.

X

 _"Keep your elbows bent and your head high," Master Xai said sternly. He stood at the top of the steps that looked down into the square court where the young Demitar practiced her firebending. Raya tried to meet her master's expectations, and bent her arms. She sent out a small burst of flames and stumbled backwards a bit from the small force._

 _"You are too feeble. Feel your power, and bring it forth. Be ferocious," Xai commanded. The young Demitar looked up at him standing tall with the waning light of the sun behind him. His arms were folded gently behind his back and his demeanor was hard; impassive._

 _"I'm trying," Raya said, trying to hold back the barrage of tears that threatened to spill over. She knew from experience that not only did crying fix nothing, but that it often times made things worse for her. Master Xai hated crying, and every time his pupil broke down before him, he would unleash a show of flame and power before her the likes of which had cursed her with nightmares of fire._

 _"The time for trying is over. You will succeed. I will make you the strongest Fire Nation Demitar the world has ever known," Xai said, and there was a flash of madness in his eyes that Raya had never witnessed. The look caused her to flinch were she stood and this only caused Xai to become enraged. He loathed weakness, and even though the Demitar had only come to live with the Royal family a few months ago, they expected her to act like a stone cold adult._

 _"Flinching? Shall I give you a reason to flinch?" Master Xai said loudly as he stepped forward and sent out a large blast of flame toward the Demitar. She stumbled out of its way just in time, but watched then as flame lit up the entire edge of the square._

 _"I want my mom!" Raya said, her heart fluttering rapidly like small birds. She wanted nothing more than to see her mother and brother again. They didn't visit once, and she was convinced they'd simply forgotten about her._

 _"You are the Demitar. You don't need your mother or your family. The Fire Nation is your family now, and you will never see your mother again. She has forgotten you," Xai said as he sent out a small wave of flame that made Raya jump back._

 _"She wouldn't forget me . . ." Raya said, tears sliding down her child cheeks._

 _"Oh, but she has."_

"She wouldn't . . ." Raya mumbled as her eyes tried to open. The world came rushing back to her and slowly she felt the extent of her limbs around herself. She realized then that she was tied to a chain bracket against a stone wall. She looked around, trying to blink the bleariness from her amber eyes. Her white hair spilled down over her shoulder, and the braid that once held the silk strands was no more.

She tilted her head to move some of the hair from her eyes and realized that her head band was gone. Whoever had taken her knew exactly who she was. She could feel that the gloves were gone too, and the only thing that remained were the clothes that she'd left the palace in.

Her eyes finally accepted the dim light around her and she could make out that she was underground. There were a few lanterns scattered about the edges of the wall on the opposite side of the cavern she seemed to be sitting in. Wiggling her hands she realized they were bound too tightly together to release herself. She pulled until her wrists were sore, and knew that the ropes were slowly causing a friction burn on her pale skin.

A sound came from one end of the chamber suddenly, and Raya could make out the sounds of someone walking toward her. She pressed herself against the wall as far as she could and situated herself so that she was sitting on her butt, knees bent. If she could have stood she would have, but her ties were low to the ground. If she had to, she could bend with her feet.

"Who's there?" Raya asked out into the darkness as the figure approached.

"Shh. Quiet," the voice said as they came into the dim light. Raya's eyes went wide as she laid eyes on the man that looked like Kulo.

"Kulo . . ." she mumbled.

"You said that when they took you, too," the man said, kneeling so that he was eye level with the Demitar. "I'm not Kulo. I'm Kai, his great grandson." Raya gasped a little and her heart slammed in her chest. It explained everything. This was her great nephew.

"You look so much like him," Raya said, taking in the curve of his nose and the shape of his eyes.

"Even with the hair, I wasn't sure you were my relative. But you look just like my dad . . . well – you know – prettier, and like a girl. But still like my dad," Kai said, stumbling a little at his blunder. Raya shook it off, and wanted to ask him a million questions, but the thought of him working with these people made her stomach turn.

"What are you doing here with these people?" Raya asked quickly.

"I was born into a long line of military men. Great great grandpa served in Sozin's military, great grandpa, and grandpa served in Azulon and Ozai's military. Even dad served Ozai while he stood. I've thought my whole life that our cause was the right thing but . . . Seeing you here this way, knowing what they intend to do with you . . ."

"What do they intend to do?" Raya asked.

"Kai, is that you?" A man entered the cavern then, and Kai straightened quickly, bowing with respect.

"Yes, Master FaWei. I was just tightening the Demitars bindings. Can't be too careful." Kai said, tugging on her ropes. She winced at the soreness in her wrists.

"Very good. Ah, finally I have the privilege to meet the Fire Nation Demitar. You really are a Fire Nation beauty. I've read that your mother was also of a fine beauty," FaWei went on thoughtfully.

"What do you want from me," Raya demanded, irritated that he dared speak of her mother.

"The unrightful Fire Lord, of course. He will come for you."

"He won't," Raya said; she hoped.

"Oh he will. And once we have both of you, we will put an end to the shame you have rained down on this Nation."

Raya struggled hard against her bindings and glared at the man.

"Don't worry, Demitar. You will live until we have Zuko. Besides, I won't have the honor of relieving you of your duties. She will be very pleased indeed that we finally have you," Fa Wei said, his eyes betraying a sick pleasure from watching her squirm.

"She who?"

"The rightful heir, of course. The one who leads the Loya-"

Before FaWei could reveal the true leader of their group, Kai was standing behind him and hit him with several chi blocks. FaWei fell before he even understood what was happening and Raya looked over to him with wide eyes. He ignored her looks and knelt down to untie her ropes quickly.

"Come on, we have to hurry. They've already summoned her and she could be here any minute." Kai helped Raya to her feet and they both began running toward the darkness that lead out of the caverns.

"Who? Who is she?" Raya asked. She needed to know. Before Kai had any time to answer her, a woman with dark hair and cold eyes blocked their way. Raya knew that face anywhere. That evil demeanor, the cold gaze.

"Azula . . ." Raya said, answering her own question.

"It's always good to discover a traitor in our midst. I should've known you'd side with your own traitorous blood," Azula said coolly as she watched Kai. He backed away a little and Raya could see the fear she raised in him. The Demitar remembered a time when Azula had the same effect on her, but that time had long passed. She didn't fear Azula, only becoming like her as a firebender. "You and I both know how the Loyalists deal with traitors," Azula snarled as a blue flame lit up her palm.

As Azula pulled her hand back to send the blast toward Kai, Raya felt the fire rush up within herself. This was the true purpose for her fire; to protect. Without hesitation, Raya slammed her own hand into the Fire Princesses open palm and ended the fire that threatened to grow. Azula glared at her hard before using the same hand to push the Demitar back across the cavern with great force.

Raya slid back against the earth floor and lit two flames in her own palms. Azula walked into the room and stared the Demitar down with icey amber eyes.

"I wasn't planning on killing you until we had ZuZu, but he won't know you're dead. Will he?" Azula asked rhetorically as she leapt for Raya. Raya sent out a large blast of green flames and Azula parted them quickly. There was a shake in the earth walls as some rocks gave way from their resting places in the walls. This fight might kill them all if they weren't careful.

Azula didn't seem to care though as she sent a volley of blue flames toward Raya. She leaned back, flipping and turning as she dodged every one. The last one seemed to pass by her in slow motion, only inches from her face as she leaned back to avoid its touch. She put her hands out behind her and flipped backwards, kicking a large whip of flame through the air towards Azula to counter.

The Fire Princess used her own flames to blast through it and sent a long powerful blast down on Raya. The Demitar pulled her arms forward and sent a blast of air out to disarm the blue flame, but it wasn't enough and Raya felt herself slam against the wall. Her head hit hard and she fell to her knees on the ground. Getting up on her hands and knees she looked over to see Kai rushing toward her. A large blast of blue flame stopped him in his tracks and he leapt back.

"No you don't," Azula said, walking up to Raya. She grabbed the Demitar by the collar and slammed her against the rock. Raya coughed and opened her eyes to see Azula staring her hard in the face. "Better luck as an Air Demitar. Oh, that's right, there aren't any air children being born . . . Does the cycle end here? Let's find out," Azula said with a sick smile as a blue blade of flame came rushing to her face.

Raya felt a surge of panic and energy explode in her chest and the explosion came with a thousand voices echoing in her mind. The flame blade was stopped in its tracks as Raya's hand clasped hard around Azula's wrist. The usually amber eyes were swallowed by a blue glow, and the tattoos did the same. Azula was surprised enough to be vulnerable, and as a strong force of wind began to swirl around Raya, the hand that held Azula's wrist sent her flying backwards hard enough that she skidded across the dirt floor. The Demitar's hands became emerald flames as she hovered forward. Two powerful blasts erupted around Azula who managed to dodge them. More rocks began to cascade from the walls and ceiling, and Kai looked around with knowing eyes.

"Demitar Raya, we have to go. Please. The cavern is going to collapse," Kai said as he reached out for Raya's sleeve. As he grabbed a piece of the cloth, Raya's head turned to him quickly. They were hard and unwavering, but as she laid eyes on her nephew, the glow faded and she became herself once more. Her feet touched down on the ground again, and she turned back to where Azula had been only to find that she had fled.

Her body felt the effects of the Demitar state, but she knew that if she and Kai did not do the same, they would be trapped in the caverns; that is if they didn't die immediately. Kai grabbed her arm and began to lead her to the passageway out of the cavern. Raya obliged, but stopped suddenly as she turned to see rocks falling around FaWei. She pulled her arm out of Kai's grasp and he frowned.

"What are you doing?"

"I took a vow with the nomads a long time ago; all life is sacred. I can't leave him. Besides, he belongs in prison," Raya said as she tried to haul him up off the ground. His weight became less suddenly and the Demitar looked up to see Kai taking the brunt of his weight to carry. Raya smiled in thanks and they both began to run for the exit at boulders fell around them.

They slipped into the passageway that lead up into the warehouse as a plume of dust and rock exploded behind them. The cavern was no more, but they had FaWei safely in their custody.

"Where'd you learn to chi block?" Raya asked as they crawled through the trap door into the warehouse.

"When we found out I wasn't a bender, my father still wanted me to be skilled in something. So we found one of the best chi blockers the Fire Nation has ever seen. Ty Lee. She was here for a while with the Kyoshi Warriors.

"I see. You're very good at it," Raya said as she felt the toll of the Demitar state begin to weight on her body.

"Thanks," Kai replied as he began dragging FaWei forward.

"Azula . . ." Raya said absently, still incredulous. The true monster had escaped. She had a feeling that FaWei was just a pawn in all her schemes.

"The tunnel she went down let's out near the Tavern Lord, a tavern out by the Pawan district," Kai said, making for the doorway that would lead out into the street.

"It doesn't matter. She's probably long gone by now. We need to get out of here. I need to get back to the palace." Raya moved for the door and looked around the rooftops.

"How are we going to get all the way to the capital city like this?" Kai asked, gesturing to their cuts and bruises and prisoner. Raya felt weak, and knew there was only one answer to his question.

"Ever ride a dragon before?"

* * *

A/N: Hope everyone liked the dose of action. I love writing fighting/dramatic scenes. If anyone likes to know what kind of songs or playlists authors write to for certain scenes, Raya and Azula's fight scene was inspired by Colors Pt. II by Halsey.


	21. Book II: Chapter VII

A/N: Happy Holidays Everyone.

* * *

Chapter VII:

To The Past

"You what?" Zuko asked angrily, trying to keep his voice low. Mai looked at him with an apathetic glare.

"Don't blame this on me. I'm not her keeper," Mai said, turning her back on the Fire Lord.

When Zuko had heard that Mai had returned, he felt a sense of relief wash over him, and rushed to meet her in the main hall. When he'd arrived, however, he was met with Mai, and Mai alone. The black haired, non-bender watched him steadily.

"Where's Raya?" He'd said, his heart beginning to pound in his chest. He tried, and failed, to read the expression of the dark haired woman. She didn't let on that Raya was captured or injured, but she also didn't let on that she wasn't. The Fire Lord had rushed up to her, and waited as patiently as he could for a reply.

"Somewhere in the merchant district, I guess," Mai had said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You just left her?"

"She told me to go on without her, so I did," Mai had said, bringing them to this moment. Zuko's shoulders were tight with worry and he glared at Mai mercilessly before calling to a servant that was waiting at the ready in the shadows.

"Ready my things," he instructed, turning on his heels and moving quickly away from Mai. "I'm going after her."

"What? Are you crazy?" Mai asked in disbelief.

"She can't be out there alone. So far away from the palace. How could you leave her?" Zuko asked once more as he paused to turn and look Mai in the eyes.

"You realize she's the Demitar, right? I'm not about to tell her what to do, and if she asks me to go on without her, I'm going to go on. I trust that she knows what she's doing."

"You don't know her like I know her. She's . . ." Zuko couldn't find the words and watched as Mai raised a skeptical eye-brow.

"You can't protect her forever, you know. It's not your place," Mai said as she backed away and moved to leave the palace. Zuko looked after her with fiery eyes – how dare she tell him what was and wasn't his place. "For what it's worth, give her until morning. You owe her that much freedom."

TILL morning . . . Zuko found himself pacing back and forth in his chambers, his shadow drifting lightly in and out of the moonlight. It carved a dark presence out of the moons glow as he stopped in the light of his open window. Summers end was approaching and the cooling night air drifted easily through the window. The temperature was just perfect; he didn't have to wear too much, nor too little.

The Fire Lord folded his arms over his bare chest, and felt the lumpy scar tissue that Azula had bestowed upon him. It was meant to be an endless reminder of her power, and his sacrifice to save Katara, but instead it was a never ending reminder of how he and Raya had similar scars. Her dragon fire detailed an upbringing in fire, and he commiserated with her in that respect.

He approached the balcony slowly, and looked up into the skies. The courtyard below was the main courtyard of the palace, and a place he had played for many years as a child. Nothing much had changed in all the time that the place had existed. The turtle ducks still swam gently in their small pond, the fire maples still stood out as mighty over seers, and the path that cut it all in half still stood; serving as a reminder that nothing beautiful can remain unbroken.

Zuko's tired mind drifted in and out of memories that he had shared with the Demitar. All the awkward moments that they shared on their journey with Aang, the kisses, the desire. He found a heat rising in his cheeks as he remembered the surprising kiss she planted on him before she left to battle Ozai. He had been surprised, but in the same moment so fulfilled. He hadn't realized until that very moment how much he had wanted that kiss to happen. He wanted it to happen a million more times after that, too.

But from the moment Raya had set foot back within the palace walls, he found himself pushing her further and further away. That wasn't what he wanted at all. In reality, he wanted her closer than anyone in the world. He was torn though, for so many reasons. The Loyalists were a problem, first and foremost, but he wondered if he were selfish enough to claim her for his own. Even if she chose to look past all the things he'd put her through in the past month, would she even consider taking his hand?

The counselors and Han Lee had been suggesting marriage for months. They were all under the impression that a royal wedding was just what the Nation needed to take their minds off of the worldly issues and the national divide; something that would bring everyone back together again. Zuko scoffed at them, pushing the idea away constantly. He didn't have time for marriage, especially now; not to mention that the one he wanted may never be his to claim.

Just as the melancholy of his thoughts began to take root in his chest, a large white dragon hurtled through the air, and landed quietly in the courtyard before him. The wind from the creature disturbed some of the foliage of the flora and fauna, but ultimately no one that wasn't watching it happen would have known Rai Jin had left and returned. Zuko shot up like a bolt and watched as Raya and another white haired rider dismounted.

Before another second could pass, he found himself dashing from the room and for the entrance of the courtyard below.

X

Raya felt a stiffness beginning in her side, and realized there was a slight burn on her arm and side. They were mild and she would live, but the consistent throb was becoming irritating. She leaned against Rai Jin and watched as Kai slid down the side of the dragon with FaWei in his arms. He was still out stone cold and Raya had to give the kid props for his chi blocking skills. She looked up and around, realizing that she had landed them in the wrong courtyard.

Before she had time to care, she saw a tall, shirtless Fire Lord striding towards her. Her heart leapt and she realized that she very much wished to see him. She had a feeling it had something to do with her encounter with Azula and her brush with death. She smiled and faultered a little as she tried to take a step towards him. Before she could move much further, however, he was upon them, and had swept the Demitar up into his arms.

As surprised as she was at his warm welcome, she couldn't help but succumb to his warm embrace. Her face pressed intimately against his bare chest and she inhaled the scent of his skin; cedar and ash. In that moment she found herself completely whole for the first time in ages, and it took her a few seconds to remember that they were not alone. She stiffened and pulled herself out of Zuko's embrace, clearing her throat.

He looked down at her softly, but his features began to harder more and more as he took in her injuries, Kai, and FaWei.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice colored in concern.

"I fought Azula," Raya said slowly. Some of the color drained from the Fire Lords face at the mention of his sister. "And captured the man she was hiding behind as the leader of the Loyalists." She watched his face carefully as his eyes flicked to the unconscious FaWei. His amber orbs slid quickly to Kai in that moment and he looked between the two slowly. "And this is my nephew, Kai."

"Nephew?"

"My brother's great grandchild."

"I know what a nephew is," Zuko said, and she realized that he was just in disbelief.

"How?"

"He was a supporter of the Loyalists, but then helped me escape when he realized who I was."

A sudden flame found its way into Zuko's eyes at this discovery, and he glared at Kai. Raya wanted to defend him, but she couldn't blame Zuko for his anger. She quickly explained everything she could, and winced a few times as her burns smarted.

"You're hurt," he observed, stepping closer.

"It's nothing," Raya said, trying to make him listen to the rest of her report.

EVERYTHING that transpired in the courtyard happened so rapidly that Raya had trouble remembering it clearly. Kai and FaWei were whisked away quickly, and Zuko called forth a servant to help Raya to a healer. She wanted to continue telling him what had transpired in the cave-like basement of the warehouse, but he wouldn't hear it. He wouldn't tell her where he was taking Kai, either, which bothered her infinitely.

"This will hurt before it begins to feel better," the kind woman kneeling beside her said. Takana was an older woman from the Northern Water Tribe that had migrated into the Fire Nation after the war had ended. Master Paku had recommended her to Zuko as one of the best healers he had known in his years there, and she was ready for a change of scenery. Once she had met with the Fire Lord in person, he was eager to have her as his official palace healer.

"Go ahead," Raya granted, and she sucked in a sharp breath as the water felt more like a shock of ice rather than a soothing current of water. Her eyes closed briefly as she tried to find her center and block it out, but it wasn't long before the pain turned into a gentle relief. As she lay back with her eyes closed and her torso exposed, she fought back flashes of Azula coming at her.

She wished that the fire bending princess didn't still inspire a small amount of fear in her, but she did. Raya was certain that she had moved past that fear, but her recent encounter left the truth bare before her; a part of her was. The blue flames that emitted from the princess' hands and feet was ferocious. She was everything Master Xai had wanted Raya to be, but she vowed a long time ago she would never be that; mindlessly powerful and fierce.

The power she felt in her fire bending as she fought Azula, however, was exhilarating, and she couldn't deny that. Iroh, as usual, was right. She was slowly re-accepting the fire in her blood, and she liked it . . . The surge of pure power from the Demitar state had made her feel unstoppable in that moment, and instead of feeling shy towards the power, she embraced it.

'To protect,' she thought to herself as Takana pulled the water away from her torso. She knew that her purpose was to protect, and peace was not always going to be the answer. While the rest of the world defined firebending as power, she would defy that standard. Fire was protection; she would only use it to protect others. This she swore as Azula's crazed eyes flashed in her mind once more.

"That's everything I can do," Takana said as she helped Raya sit up. The Demitar thanked her kindly and Takana bowed her head in respect.

"Thank you. It feels miles better already," Raya assured the woman as she sat up straight.

"I'm so glad I can help," Takana said genuinely.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with the Demitar – privately," Zuko said, adding the last part as Takana offered the Fire Lord a deep bow. She obliged, and left the room quickly as Zuko entered. Raya took note that the only thing she wore in that moment was a pair of trousers and her chest wrap. Zuko had seen her in it many times during their journey with Aang, but never in a bed, hair unbound, and tossed loosely across her shoulder. He himself had found the time to dress properly, but if the wrong eyes were to pear in on them, it would immediately be misconstrued as a scandalous affair between the Fire Lord and the Demitar.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked as he approached the bed side. Raya waved his words away.

"It wasn't that bad," Raya said, dismissing his concern. He raised a skeptical eyebrow, but let the subject pass. "Where's FaWei?"

"In a prison cell. We'll be interrogating him soon."

"And Kai?" Raya asked. The Fire Lord hesitated and looked away from her, out the balcony window that allowed fresh sunlight to pour through the red curtains.

"After some questioning . . . I sent him away," Zuko finally admitted. Raya shot up quickly and as she swung her legs around the side of the bed, she felt her injuries smart. Ignoring the pain, she stepped quickly up to the Fire Lord with a blaze of confusion in her amber eyes.

"What? How could you? His life could be in grave danger now."

"He was a Loyalist, and still could be. What if his only mission was to get close to you? To infiltrate the palace? I just can't take those kinds of chances."

"They're going to kill him if they find him, Zuko," Raya said, her eyes colored in agony, as he knew they would be. He was glad, then, that he hadn't consulted her before he sent the young boy on his way, because Raya would have fought him tooth and nail over it; she'd have won.

"It's a chance we have to take," he said quietly as she ran a distressed hand through her hair. He watched the soft white locks fall neatly over her shoulder, the rest spilling down her back. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Raya said, trying to see it from his perspective. She was incredibly understanding, but this was something that would haunt her for a while. It may have been the best choice for the safety of the two of them, but he was one of her only living relatives; her only connection to her past, and Zuko may have just ended all that. "Azula is out there somewhere, too," Raya reminded him.

"I know . . ." he said, his face turning hard and impassive.

"She is strong, maybe as strong as she's ever been. And she knows the palace, which means we may be in even more danger than we thought . . ." Raya watched Zuko's face, and he offered no response. Raya felt her heart beat pick up a little as she thought of Azula trying, in the dead of night, to end them while they slept. It wasn't a farfetched idea, since she potentially knew a hundred ways to sneak in and out of the palace undetected. "Zuko," Raya prodded when he still didn't speak.

"There's something I want to show you," Zuko finally said. Raya looked toward him and her eyes were all questions. "Something I should have shown you a long time ago."

"What?"

"You'll see," he said as he pulled her robe off the hook that rested on a wall near him. She accepted it and tied it around herself carefully, trying to avoid placing the sash over her fresh burns. She braided her hair, once more avoiding the crown princes' ornament, and wondered if she would ever put it back on. The life that came with the trinket felt like it was a lifetime away now; unreachable.

The Demitar followed the Fire Lord through the palace in silence, and wondered all the while what he could have to show her. She wanted to sit down and form a plan to deal with Azula, not to mention be a part of the interrogation of FaWei. They finally had all the pieces of the puzzle, now they just needed to figure out how to solve it.

They stopped then, and Raya pulled herself out of her thoughts. They were surrounded by a small stone courtyard with statues decorating the far walls. It seemed plain enough, and there was nothing about it that suggested it was any different from any other part of the palace. They were standing on a large circular stone pattern, and this made Raya double take, but even so it still didn't seem that out of the ordinary.

"Is this it?" She asked, not unkindly. She found herself confused.

"One second," Zuko said, moving her towards him so that they were standing in the center of the circular pattern. He took a slow breath, and then knelt, bending a stream of flames into the center of the circle. A few flames shot up around the outer rim of the circle, but there were so small it didn't amount to much. As the Fire Lord straightened, the stones began to move downward in a descending patter, creating stone steps into a dark pit below them.

Raya raised an eyebrow slowly and he gestured for her to follow.

"What is this?"

"It's a place where the Fire Sages keep records and personal items that mark the rule of previous Fire Lords. I came down here once to read about Avatar Roku, and Sozin," Zuko said as he held out a flame in order to light their path. Raya followed him closely, feeling a bit uneasy about the enclosed space. Dragon statues and what may have been actual skulls lined some parts of the hallways and she shirked away from them as she passed; the idea that a beautiful dragon had to give its life for something so savage filling her with sadness.

"So who are we visiting?" Raya wondered aloud, and as she did so Zuko stopped. She did as well, and looked at the calligraphy etched elegantly into the wall beside the doorway. Sozin. Raya felt a lurch in her stomach as she read the name. It was like being hurtled back in time as they stepped through the doorway. The things that surrounded the Fire Lord and Demitar as they entered the room where things straight out of Raya's past and nightmares.

"When I was looking for information on my great grandfather and Avatar Roku's friendship, I came across something . . . Something that I think was meant to be yours," Zuko said as he pulled a chest out into view. Raya didn't recognize it at all, but stepped forward to help him. As they brought it forward into the center of the room, Zuko stepped away to light a few torches. As the room became slightly more illuminated, Raya began to wipe away years of dust.

' _Demitar Raya'._

The words were etched plainly onto the front of the chest, and she gave a small start. It really was hers. She had never seen it before in her life, and it wasn't something she had arrived in the palace with. When she left her home at the age of seven, she had come with only a bag full of a few clothes, and some necessities. It wasn't a day she liked to remember, but the memories were suddenly rushing in on her like a tsunami.

"What is this?" Raya asked, no longer touched the object. She stared at it long and hard, refusing to touch or open it. Zuko moved around to kneel beside her and studied her face carefully.

"It's yours," he said simply, wishing that she didn't look so ill. When she still made no motion to open the chest, he tugged it forward a little and pulled the lid back. Raya peered over the lip of the container and her heart faltered for a moment as she took in its contents.

Unopened scrolls were scattered across the bottom, and mingled in with them were random objects that she vaguely recognized. One object stood out in particular, and as she reached for it, she didn't notice the tear that had forced its way from her left eye. She pulled the small wooden dinosaur out of the chest and inspected it. It was perfect, as though she had plucked it out of a memory. Time had done nothing to ravage the smooth wooden surface and she found herself clutching it to her chest.

As she pressed it against herself she finally felt the scroll tied to the other side. Gently, so gently, she pulled the ribbon end and untied the parchment from its wooden anchor. It fell to the floor, and Zuko picked it up gingerly, handing it to her. She began to unfold it and paused – was she ready for this? Ready to open the floodgates of her past?

After a few more seconds of hesitation she unfurled the parchment the rest of the way and gazed at the intricate handwriting inside. Even after all this time, she would know that writing anywhere:

 _My Dearest Raya,_

 _I can't tell you how much I miss you. Your brother asks about you every day. I only hope that you don't think that we have failed you, or abandoned you. We tried to visit the palace today, but were turned away. I don't know if we will ever be allowed to enter, but know that we love you so much. Kulo asked me to send you his favorite toy with this letter. I hope that you will receive this and know that we will always be here with you._

 _I remember the day you were born, with that shock of white hair and big amber eyes. It was like a blinding ray of white light . . . Your father and I knew instantly what we would name you, Raya. Our Ray of light, and now you are the entire worlds Ray of light; our Demitar. Remember that even when things seem their darkest, you are a ray of light._

 _All our Love,_

 _Your mother, and Kulo_

Tears came forth now, uninhibited. The Demitar found herself clutching the toy and the letter to her chest tightly, causing the paper to wrinkle. She shut her eyes tightly and inhaled sharply. How many years had they spent trying to see her, writing her? There were dozens of other letters in the chest, and Raya didn't know if she could read another one, let alone all of them. How hard must it have been for Ahma to love her from a distance – never to see her only daughter again?

Suddenly a strong arm found its way around her shoulders and without thinking she let herself sink into the Fire Lords embrace. The tears continued as she cried into his chest. He put his other arm around her then, and held her against them. They sat on the floor like that for a while, until Raya's tears finally slowed, then stopped.

"I didn't mean for this to hurt you," Zuko finally said, his lips brushing against her soft white hair. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her scalp and it sent a rush of tingles down her spine. She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes.

"It was just . . . Overwhelming," Raya finally said.

"I know you are upset that I sent Kai away. But I did it to protect you – and before you say it, I know you don't need me to protect you, but I want to. You mean . . . so much to me. I realize that the way I've been acting makes it seem like that's not true, but it is . . . I'm just not good at this; at people . . ."

"It's alright," Raya said, placing a gentle hand on his arm. He placed his hand over hers and reveled in the tenderness of it. He hadn't realized how much he had craved her presence until this moment as it all came crashing down on him. The sadness in her eyes still lingered, however, and he would have given anything to replace it with happiness.

"If I could change the way your life played out, I would; you'd have known your family for a life time, and had all the happiness you deserve. Even if it meant I'd never have met you, I'd do it, if that would make you happy . . ." Zuko said, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. She looked up into his eyes, and he felt his heart race. She had not looked at him so deeply in years.

"I wouldn't change any of it," she said gently, leaning forward enough to press her lips to his.


	22. Book II: Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII:

A Fire Nation Symphony

"Demitar Raya? General Iroh is requesting your company."

The young servant that Raya had grown accustomed to having in the outskirts of her peripheral vision had gently entered the room to deliver the General's message. Raya remained laying on her side, staring absently at the wooden dinosaur toy that had been  
brought up from the catacombs of Fire Lords past. The rest of the chest and its contents were delivered to her room the night Zuko had bestowed it upon her, but she had yet to delve any deeper into it.

She found herself reading the letter she opened with her brother's favorite toy over and over again. It felt impossible to move past it. The parchment was creased and wrinkled now from excessive handling and yet every time she read it she felt a fresh  
ripple of emotional pain tear through her. It changed the way she felt about a hundred things, and yet she would have to learn to accept what was.

She'd skipped two meditations, breakfast, and now was skipping her training with General Iroh. She had sent word with the young girl, whose name she'd come to learn was Su, letting Iroh know that she had fallen quite ill, and would not be fit enough to  
attend their session that day. He seemed to have other plans for the Demitar, however, sick or not. Truthfully she was ill, in a sense, albeit mentally.

"I've already said I won't be joining him today," Raya said blankly. She remained unmoving, her back to the door, and as such to Su.

"Forgive me, Demitar Raya, but he insists. The General said that if you refused, to tell you that he simply wishes to enjoy your company over a cup of tea." Raya finally stirred enough to turn and look at the girl fully. She had her head bowed, and eyes  
facing the ground. The level of respect she offered the Demitar often made her uncomfortable, but in this moment Raya was glad that the girl wasn't looking at her.

The Demitar was disheveled, at best. Her hair was unkempt, and she hadn't bothered to change her clothes in the past twenty four hours. Everything had felt fine as she and Zuko left the catacombs that night; more than fine, to be honest. But the moment  
they parted ways, she felt something within herself break, and it was as though everything that she was composed of crumbled. She would never let on to Zuko that she had broken down this way; he already thought she couldn't protect herself.

"Fine," Raya finally said as she sat up, and forced herself to move away from the bed. If it were anyone else requesting her presence, the Demitar would have vehemently refused, but there was a special place in her heart for the old general. She passed  
her mirror in order to fetch a fresh robe to place over her tunic, along with a pair of clean trousers, and found the image looking back at her a bit haunting. She hadn't slept well in days, as the events that had occurred recently seemed to take  
place nearly back to back. Not to mention she was preoccupied with the absence of Kai. Was he okay? Was he even alive? Was his family?

Her eyes reflected her lack of decent sleep and betrayed how tired the Demitar truly felt with the purple half circles adorning her almond shaped eyes. She sighed, absently touching the discoloration. It wasn't until she turned away from the mirror for  
her clothing that she found Su standing close to her desk, a hair brush in hand.

"May I assist you with your hair?" the girl asked. Normally Raya would decline, and normally Su wouldn't offer as Raya had made it very clear that the girl was under no obligation to serve her. But it became clear that the servant must have picked up  
on her bedraggled state, and the Demitar found herself thankful for the assistance.

"That would be wonderful," Raya admitted as she slipped a fresh crimson robe on over her slender shoulders. The rich reds of the fabric lay against her pale skin like sprays of blood, and reflected off her silk white hair. The sash went easily around  
her waist and she knotted it as she had done a thousand times before. Raya then took a seat in the chair that Su stood behind, and let the sensation of the fine bristles massaging her scalp consume her. It had been ages since someone else tended to  
her hair, and she let herself enjoy it. Before she knew it, the task was done, and Su was asking her something. It took her a moment to collect herself enough to listen.

"Hm?" Raya asked, opening her eyes. She realized that the girl had done her top knot – perfectly – and was holding a hair ornament.

"Would you like your ornament on or off?" she asked patiently, and Raya paused. She could see the crowned prince's ornament being held delicately by Su in the reflection of her desk mirror. She contemplated the implications of replacing the finely crafted  
hair piece to the place where it once rested religiously.

"On, please," she finally answered. The girl obliged swiftly, and with a few gentle movements had the ornament fastened into her hair properly.

X

"This way. Just a bit further," Su said. She had been guiding the Demitar diligently to the place where Iroh was taking tea. Raya had thought perhaps they would be meeting in the old Agni Kai arena, but Su had informed her that was not the case. She supposed  
that made sense, seeing as Raya felt in no mood to bend either element at the moment. Her heart was too heavy for airbending; too distracted for fire.

As Raya walked behind the young palace servant, she found her eyes wandering to the rich tapestries that adorned the walls. They hung between every pillar. Every other tapestry had a fire nation symbol stitched in black against crimson; the ones in between  
had stitched upon them the characters that read 'Agni'. It was an old god, to be sure, but one that still had a place in the palace. Raya wasn't sure that anyone from the Fire Nation even prayed to Agni anymore, if they prayed at all.

Her mind was momentarily pulled from its onslaught of observation as she stepped through a narrow door and was lead down a set of stone steps into the open air. A high sun baked the palace stone with a ferocity that marked the dying of summer. The sun  
always had a few strong days before the fall solstice; as though it would not go without a fight. It was in this way the firebender reflected the nature of the sun. Neither would go quietly, and in their dying burned with the greatest intensity.

The rest of the yard they found themselves in was nothing but stone, and old by the looks of it. It had a worn gray texture that suggested many years of being beaten by the sun's rays, as well as baring the elements. Despite the weathering in the stone  
court, the statues that stood beneath stone arches at every wall were still recognizable. Agni in all his greatness was poised and posed at every wall, and characters were carved below and around them describing the God.

"Ah, I am so glad that you have come," Iroh said from across the way. Raya looked over to see the old man sitting on the ground. A large padded pillow upholstered in the rich crimson of the Royal Family, and trimmed with golden rope guarded his rear from  
the hard stone beneath. Two unoccupied pillows were placed around a low table that held all the necessities of tea, sans warming plate. The Dragon of the West preferred to warm it himself, as Raya knew well.

She recalled her days with him in Ba Sing Se, and knew how tenderly he looked upon his tea shop. Every aspect of cultivating the perfect cup was taken into consideration by the old general with the utmost care. No detail was overlooked, and firebending  
the tea himself allowed him to bring it to the perfect temperature; it gave the greatest control.

She smiled politely and walked over to her old friend. She assembled her hands in the traditional Fire Nation way, and bow to show her respect. "Thank you for having me. I didn't think I wanted to get out of bed until I stepped out that door. The sun  
and fresh air are more welcome than I thought," the Demitar said as Iroh gestured for her to have a seat. She folded her legs against the pillow taking care to keep her knees against the lavish padding.

"It is difficult to identify a problem until we step away from it," Iroh said thoughtfully as he studied her tired eyes. "Only then are we free to gain a true perspective."

"I envy your wisdom," Raya said with a kind smile. Iroh was a good and gentle man, and Raya often found herself wondering how he fit into the Royal family of Azula and Ozai, and all the aggressive predecessors. He seemed to be cut from a different cloth  
entirely, and while hearing Aang spout wise words to her could make her irritable at times, she never grew tired of hearing them from Iroh. He always knew what to say, and had this innate ability to understand her at a glance; even when she could  
hardly understand herself.

"A skill well earned," Iroh said with a light chuckle. His eyes squinted slightly with his smile, giving him the glow of a jolly old man.

"The shrine of Agni," Raya observed then after a moment of silence. "I don't know that I've ever actually seen it, even as a child." She had been many places with in the palace – some against her own will – but this was one that she couldn't recall. She  
had read about it during her lessons, and even remembered the intricately detailed drawings that accompanied her readings, but they did no justice to the true place.

"It is a lovely place, and quiet. It's not a well-used shrine these days, but it makes a lovely place to relax and appreciate the raw beauty of how it's withstood the test of time."

"It really is," Raya agreed as Iroh poured her a steaming cup of fresh tea. She took it gratefully and let the sweet aroma waft up into the air around her. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. If only all things in life were this simple and pure.

"You are troubled, young Demitar. What seems to be on your mind?" Iroh asked, intuitive as always. Raya knew this would be coming, and sighed gently as she looked down into her tea. The tendrils of wispy steam coiled up into the air until they dissipated  
into nothing.

"That obvious, huh?" Raya asked with a half-hearted smile.

"You have always had a gentle spirit, and when you are troubled it is written plainly on your face," Iroh said, taking a sip of tea.

"I suppose you're right. I was actually just wishing that all things in life could be as simple as this," she said, gesturing around them. "As simple as a warm day, with good tea and friendly company."

"Those things would not be so enjoyable if all things were that way. It is the complicated nature of life that breaths beauty into the simplicities. What is really troubling you?" Iroh asked, pressing her gently to bring forth the heart of her turmoil.

"Ever since Zuko gave me the chest from Lord Sozin's vault, I've been at odds with myself, and filled with some kind of guilt. I knew, deep down that my mother hadn't abandoned me . . . but there was a time that I thought she had simply stopped trying  
and let it be. The truth is she never stopped trying. Never. She wrote me for years, and years, even after I was trapped in the energy sphere that froze Rai Jin and me in time. I can't imagine the strength . . ." Raya's voice broke and she took a  
gulp of tea to stave off any unwarranted tears. She had had her fill of weeping as of late.

"Ah yes, I should have known as much. My nephew came to me for advice on the chest not too long ago. We both agreed that it was time for you to have it, though now he fears that he has hurt you in some way –"

"He hasn't!" Raya blurted. She apologized quickly for interrupting the old general before continuing with a more composed air. "I'm glad that he gave it to me, and I'm not upset with him in any way. Quite the opposite, actually," Raya said, her voice  
growing light and a crimson blush creeping its way across her pale cheeks. She cleared her throat quickly as she acknowledged the heat, and said, "The demons I fight now are my own. But I'll be alright."

"You are much stronger than you, and many others for that matter, give you credit for."

"I appreciate that. Time can heal the wounds of my past, but I wish I could say it's going to be as easy to face the challenges ahead of me. Zuko thinks that he has to protect me, and I get it – I do – but he's only putting himself more in harm's way.  
And I needed to stop this Loyalist movement soon, before he gets hurt. To complicate matters further, my nephew was a part of the Loyalists, and although he saved my life, I can't know if it was of his own conscious or to further the agenda of the  
Loyalists. And the cherry on top is that Azula is the ring master of all of it. We are in more danger than we could have imagined . . ." Raya finished, finally lookingup at Iroh. She had a look of apology written on her face as she realized  
she had been rambling; transforming the storm of her mind into words upon the air.

Iroh took it with great patience, however, as the Demitar should have known he would.

"It's much better to let these things out into the air; keeping them bottled up can do much more harm than good. My nephew can attest to that," Iroh gave a small chuckle as memories drifted back to him. "As I have told Zuko many times, you are not alone  
in this. There will always be help where you choose to seek it."

"Forgive my interruption: Fire Lord Zuko requests permission to join your company," Su said softly from the center of the stone court. Raya looked over and raised a quizzical brow. The Fire Lord was asking their permission? She admired the politeness  
of the gesture, albeit unnecessary. The Fire Lord was welcome where ever he may choose to be.

"Of course he is!" Iroh said. Raya gave a nod of approval as well, and in another moment the Fire Lord was walking down to join them. The suns uninhibited rays spread brightly across the royal robes that adorned Zuko. He looked as regal as ever, yet his  
posture gave away the fact that he was much more at ease in this company than he was with his advisors and at counsel.

"Uncle, Raya," Zuko greeted them as he took a place upon the last free pillow. Raya took in lines of his face, her eyes lingering on his sharp jaw line. He caught her eye and smiled at her kindly. She returned the smile.

"You are looking well nephew," Iroh said as he took to heating a third cup of tea for the Fire Lord.

"I feel it, Uncle," Zuko replied. "How are you feeling?" he asked then, turning the question to Raya. She had imagined this would come to pass sooner or later since she had shut herself away recently. He was bound to begin wondering what plagued her,  
and if he were the cause.

"Better all the time," Raya said, and she meant it.

"I'm glad. I'd hoped . . ." he paused then, and accepted his cup of jasmine from Iroh with a nod of appreciation. Raya watched him patiently and waited for him to continue. "I know it seems trivial," he began again, "but I had hoped you would be my escort  
to the annual Fire Symphony."

"They do a lovely rendition of 'Four Seasons,'" Iroh said thoughtfully. "It was always such a pleasure to hear them."

"Will you be going?" Raya asked, surprised that Iroh would pass up a night at the symphony.

"I am an old man now," he said with a grin. "A cup of tea, a walk amongst the palace gardens, and these old bones are ready for bed."

"I see," Raya said. "When is it, again?" She didn't recall anyone mentioning when the thing was to take place.

"Tonight," the Fire Lord said, a bit apologetic.

"Oh, wow," Raya said, her mind racing with all the things she would need to do to get ready. Not to mention, with the chaos that surrounded them it seemed like such an odd thing to do; so mundane. She found herself craving that, however. The boredom she  
left behind in Ba Sing Se seemed like it was a lifetime away now, and while she never thought the moment would come, she actually wished for it now. With the gentle and caring Zuko she had rediscovered by her side, there was no more want of excitement.  
Aside from the obvious, Raya also found herself wondering it if was safe to attend something so popular outside the palace walls.

"I know, its short notice. And it seems trivial – like I said – at a time like this to go to the symphony. I had meant to ask you a while ago, but I never found the right time, and with everything that's been going on there was no time to ask. I mean,  
I thought, it could be a welcome distraction fromeverything. And my advisors said that showing myself outside the palace walls would send a powerful message to the Loyalists that they have no power over me, and –"

"Zuko," Raya said then, stopping the Fire Lords nervous ramble. It was endearing to her that this was something that still occurred. When she had first arrived in the Fire Nation palace, she was sure that any awkwardness the young Fire Lord ever possessed  
had been eradicated by the trials of being the ruler of a nation. That did not seem to be the case however, as he found himself clearing his throat, trying to keep his cheeks from reddening at his blunder. "I would love to go."

The relieved smile that touched his lips found its way to her own.

X

The Fire Symphony was one of the most renowned musical companies in the four nations, and the best the Fire Nation had to offer. Raya wasn't sure she would enjoy herself, as the fear of being out in the public eye as herself made her nervous. As she pulled  
on her newest set of robes, however, she found herself harboring a tingle of anticipation.

Zuko assured her that the theater would be heavily protected by his own guard, as well as the Fire Nation common guards. She wasn't sure this would be enough at first, should Azula decide to lead an attack on them while they were out of protection of  
the palace walls. The mirror reflected her insecurity as she waited for Su to finish with her hair, and she found her brow furrowing as she took the image in. The Demitar, uncertain, afraid.

'You are a protector of the entire world, with the strength of the Demitar spirit.' She repeated this to herself until she felt as strong as she kept telling herself she was. There was no room for fear of the unknown; she would simply have to face the  
challenges before her as they came to pass. She was strong, and smart. There was no more time to let fear continue to tear her down. While Zuko assured her that there would be people there to protect her, she reminded herself that she was the greatest  
protector of all. Born and raised to serve the purpose of defending others; it was time to start acting like it. When had she begun to let fear consume her this way?

By the time Su had finished with her hair, the Demitar found herself looking forward to the evening ahead.

~o~

"You look beautiful," Zuko said genuinely as he walked with her into the building. Four guards flanked them on either side, and she took note that they entered through a private entrance at the side of the grand theater, instead of through the front with  
the rest of the guests.

"You've told me several times already. But thank you," Raya said as she gave him a coy smirk.

"I'll probably tell you ten more times before the night is over," Zuko said as he gave her a small nudge. The affection they could share in public was limited, as the Fire Lord was bound to keep a strong and powerful appearance in the public eye. Even  
when he took a wife, they would not make any affectionate gestures outside the palacewalls; even prolonged eye contact was scandalous.

Raya respected the unspoken expectations of her Nation, but wished she had a bit more comfort from the Fire Lord. She had not gone out as herself, tattoos ablaze, until this very night. After everything thathad transpired, she was a bit worried  
to display her tattoos. Aang would be hurt to know she felt this way; the tattoos were incredibly important to the air nation, a symbol of mastery and great achievement. To simply wish to hide them away seemed like a slap in the face to the great  
Air Nation that once was.

With a deep breath she straightened her shoulders and walked proudly. If she couldn't find it in herself feel strong and proud, she would at least make it look that way.

"Everything alright?" Zuko asked as he took note of her deep breath.

"Never better," she said, though even she was unconvinced by it.

"I've told you over and over, you don't have to be afraid."

She simply nodded as a response, then added, "I'm not."

"You're balcony, Fire Lord Zuko, Demitar Raya," a theater attendant bowed low to them both as he held a large crimson curtain aside for them. Raya bowed her head slightly in thanks and walked out onto the lavish balcony with Zuko at her side. There were  
two high backed chairs, upholstered with the national colors. The balcony railing was shined gold that reflected the dim light of the theater like liquid fire. She took a seat then, and looked down over the crowd that gathered below.

A cloud of low mingled voices rumbled up into the air from the seats below. Raya could see that those below were dressed well, and were seated in rows of benches that had no cushions. Other balconies sat level with theirs at intervals along the wall,  
but Raya couldn't make out any of the faces seated within them. There was no time to strike up light conversation as the lights dimmed further, making the spot light on the stage the center of attention.

It was then that Zuko took the opportunity to take Raya's hand into his. She looked up at him with light surprise. He didn't look her way, but gave her hand a light squeeze. She smiled. While there were no lights on them, and they were too far away from  
anyone else to be made out, it was still an incredibly risky move on his part. All it would take was a guard or an attendant slipping through the curtains to witness their affection. In the Fire Nation, something so simple – so gentle – would be construed  
as weakness, and the Fire Lord didn't need any more help with that. The Loyalists were the proof.

Still, she reveled in his touch.

"Ladies and Gentleman of this great nation, it is our humblest wish to bring to you tonight the sounds of the Fire Nation through this Symphony. But before we do, we would like to acknowledge two very important guests in the audience this evening. Fire  
Lord Zuko, and Demitar Raya! We are honored by your presence here, and will strive to make this the best performance you've ever seen," a short man on the stage said. He wore a lovely tunic of brown with slashes of crimson adorning parts of it. It  
was refreshing to see crimson take a back seat to another color. He was still wearing the colors of Fire Nation pride, but in a way that was new.

No lights were directed toward the pair at their mention, but a loud cheer rang up from below at the mention of their names. Raya smiled almost involuntarily. She had not expected this from the crowd, and it had been a while since she had been greeted  
with happy cheers. She had grown so used to being hated by the Loyalists that she had forgotten the rest of the nation was still on her side.

Once the customary opener was finished, the symphony appeared behind a large black curtain. Lines of people were seated in rows of chairs, and in their grasp they held various traditional instruments. The conductor that had greeted them all had his back  
to the crowd now, and with a few short taps of the long thinobject he held against the metal stand before him, the music began to flow.

Raya's skin prickled with the rises and falls of the sound. The Demitar had always be a lover of music, but there was something about Fire Nation music that simply sang to her very soul. It caused physical reactions across her skin as goosebumps formed  
on her arms. Her breath caught with the crescendos and her face almost mirrored the highs and lows of the music.

The song was climbing then, reaching its peak and Raya held her breath as she waited for the final break in the music, but it never came.

The lights were all cut so swiftly and suddenly that Raya gasped involuntarily. She could feel her eyes stretched wide across her face as they struggled to pick up any amount of light they could. Just then, fire began to erupt below them in short bursts.  
It was enough to illuminate the area around her, and she saw Zuko's confused face beside hers. He stood, pulling his hand from hers, and in the same moment two men leapt into the balcony through the curtains.

"Look out," he said quickly as he blocked a few of the blows from one of the attackers. Flames shot from the Fire Lords hands, as a short fight ensued between them. Raya moved to help him before the other figure moved toward her threateningly. Zuko was  
distracted enough by the man advancing on Raya to let himself be taken off guard. Two more masked figures grasped the Fire Lord from behind.

He struggled against the two men that had him and looked toward Raya, his face hard.

"Go!" he shouted to her. Go? She couldn't leave him to his fate. She stepped towards them as two more pairs of hands grasped for the Demitar. She avoided letting them grab her by the arms, but they had a tight hold of her sleeves. She struggled backwards  
to free herself, and tried to make out the faces of her foes. She didn't need to guess who was behind this attack, but every face was masked; the rest of their bodies covered in black body suits.

"Zuko!" she shouted as he wrenched against the attackers again. Flames erupted from his clenched fists like daggers, but before he could as much as twist from their grasp, someone knocked him out from behind with a swift chi block at the base of his skull.

"Let's go, we're running out of time!" one of the masked offenders hissed. The two on Raya lunged for her, and yanked her sleeves at the same time. She bristled and with two open palms blew them backwards with a gale of wind. The force tore her robe,  
and she could feel the places where it split. She shrugged the fabric off quickly, knowing it would only be a hindrance from here. As the two figures got to their feet, Raya realized that the other two had managed to wrestle Zuko away.

In a panic she made to race through the curtains, but was stopped by great bursts of flame.

"I don't think so, Demitar," one of them said in a low rumble. She felt her jaw clench and a great power welled up inside her. "You're coming with us."

"I don't think so," Raya mocked before she took a frebending stance. 'Zuko . . .' she thought desperately. 'I don't have time for this.' As she watched them move for her she back flipped over the balcony and into the chaos below, using a cushion of air  
to land.

People were screaming, running, and firebending all around her. She held out a hand of emerald flame to try to light a definite path out of the theater, but realized it was a dead giveaway to her position. If her brilliant white hair and bare arms baring  
blue tattoos weren't already enough, she wasn't going to add her green flame to it; a beacon to her location.

She used the short bursts of light to cut a path through the commotion on the floor.

"Well, what are you waiting for!?" one of the men shouted from above.

"Leave her, we have the Fire Lord. She'll come for him," a low cold voice hissed from the balcony above.

Raya pushed her way through throngs of bodies, all desperate to leave the theater. She used her airbending to jump over some of the masses, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she burst through the main entrance of the theater; out into the  
street she stumbled, looking from left to right quickly to gain her barings.

"Zuko!" she called out desperately as people pushed around her on either side. A heavy rain had begun to fall, and the streets beneath her feet ran with dusty water. She pushed on to her right, where she remembered entering the building to try to see  
if that was the same way they had taken Zuko out of the building. She rounded the corner in time to see a few eel hounds darting off behind the building and out of sight.

'No,' she thought, willing herself to run faster. Rai Jin was too far, and even with her air bending, she wouldn't be able to keep up. She had to stop them . . . She rounded the corner that revealed the back of the building and saw that the eel hounds  
were almost out of sight already. Two emerald flames erupted from her hands, but neither went far enough. Before she could conjure up what to do next, they were gone.

The Demitar was alone on the street behind the theater, her clothes soaked through with the rain. The dirt path behind the theater was quickly becoming a trough of sticky mud she found as she sank to her knees in it. The cries of panicked citizens could  
be heard still from the front of the theater, through the crashing of the rain, coupled with the roaring in her ears seemed to cut her off from it all.

She stared blankly off at the direction the eel hounds had gone, and wondered suddenly at who was making that awful crying sound. It didn't take long for her to realize it was her own sobs that punctuated the silence of her mind. The whole world came  
rushing back in on her in a moment, and she pulled her hands up to her face.

Rain and tears mingled on her cheeks, sliding down to drop from her chin and into the mud.


End file.
